General Motors Aims for Domestic Battery Supply Chain as Ford Faces Scrutiny Over Chinese Ties
General Motors is working to establish a fully domestic battery supply chain, aiming to complete it within two to three years. The company currently uses some materials sourced from China but plans to shift toward sodium-ion batteries developed with Peak Energy for stationary storage applications and future electric vehicles. These cells use abundant U.S.-sourced soda ash instead of lithium or ferrous sulfate, which are controlled by Chinese supply chains. In contrast, Ford has faced criticism over its licensing agreement with Chinese battery manufacturer CATL to produce cells at a Michigan plant. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy expressed concerns about the arrangement, while Ford CEO Jim Farley defended it as based on misunderstandings. General Motors emphasized that their strategy prioritizes domestic innovation and supply chains. GM is investing $900 million in new research facilities near Detroit, including a large cell prototyping building set to open this year.
Topics: Battery Supply Chain Domestic Manufacturing EV Technology Sodium-ion Batteries