AI-rewritten: This is a summary of an article from The Verge, rewritten by AI (Qwen, running locally) to make it easier to read. The facts come from the original article – read it for the full story.

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General Motors is constructing a new mini factory in Warren, Michigan, designed to build and test electric vehicle battery cells in half the time required by traditional methods. This $900 million project, known as the Battery Cell Development Center, spans 500,000 square feet and aims to slash EV costs by developing cheaper battery chemistries that rely less on minerals controlled by China. The facility will produce up to four or five gigawatt-hours of cells annually, though its primary goal is quality rather than quantity.

GM plans to launch its first test cells, called lithium manganese-rich (LMR) prismatic cells, in the fourth quarter of this year. These cells use very little cobalt or nickel. The center will also develop sodium-ion cells for energy storage with startup Peak Energy. While these new designs are expected to enter volume production at GM’s partner Ultium Cells plant by 2028, the mini factory serves as a bridge between research labs and large-scale manufacturing.

The facility uses real-world machinery to fabricate thousands of cells daily, simulating industrial processes that were previously handled overseas by battery manufacturers. This approach addresses the gap between creating new chemistries in small batches and ramping up production for millions of units. GM’s battery czar Kurt Kelty described the center as a critical link that combines virtual modeling with physical testing to ensure smooth transitions to high-volume production.