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In a surprise announcement earlier today, GM revealed that it plans to build a brand new battery cell lab as the No.1 U.S. automaker aims to dominate the EV market with its upcoming lineup of electric vehicles over the next few years.
New Battery Lab To Be In The Heart Of GM Tech Center
Dubbed the Wallace Battery Innovation Center, the 300,000 square foot facility is named after a former GM exec and is slated to open next year, and will primarily be used to produce prototype battery cells. Some of these prototypes could foreshadow a future where range for these vehicles could double and the battery cells themselves would be lighter and more efficient then what's currently available now.
"The key is to making these vehicles more affordable is going to be the cell cost in the battery packs" stated Ken Morris GM's vice-president of electric and self-driving vehicles during a conference call with reporters. Morris also revealed that GM spent "hundreds of millions" of dollars on the lab which is another sign that the company is taking green vehicles very seriously. Driving down the cost of EV technology will be a key part of greater customer acceptance and some of the innovations made at the Wallace Battery Innovation Center could help play a key part in this plan.
Wallace Battery Lab Will Fill A Variety Of Needs
The Wallace Battery Innovation Center was designed from the ground up to be a very flexible facility and will undoubtedly fulfill a number of crucial needs for GM especially in battery cell technology.
In addition to having the ability to build large-format prototype lithium-metal cells, the lab can also support the production of solid-state and even silicon-based technology. This impressive amount of flexibility will also make its presence felt in some of the production methods that will be developed in this new lab before they are unleashed onto formal assembly lines.
Photo: General Motors
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