News
General Motors
Corporation
GM Communications
Detroit, Mich., USA
media.gm.com
www.media.gm.com/volt
For release: 10:15 a.m. ET
Jan. 12, 2009
Chevrolet Volt Battery Packs Will Be Manufactured by
General Motors in the United States
www.media.gm.com/volt
 GM will establish
the first lithium-ion battery pack manufacturing facility in
the United States operated by a major automaker
 LG Chem has been selected to supply the lithium-ion battery cells for the
For Release: 10:15 a.m. ET
Chevrolet Volt
Jan. 12, 2009
 Advanced battery strategy strengthens GM’s capabilities to develop hybrid
and electric vehicles
 GM will open a new automotive battery lab – the largest of its kind – in the
United States to further strengthen design, development and testing
capabilities
 A partnership with the University of Michigan has been established to
develop a specialized curriculum for battery engineers
DETROIT – The Chevrolet Volt, an extended-range electric vehicle that delivers up to
40 miles of gasoline- and emissions-free electric driving, will use battery packs
manufactured in the United States by General Motors, Chairman and CEO Rick
Wagoner announced at the North American International Auto Show.
GM will establish the first lithium-ion battery pack manufacturing facility operated by a
major automaker in the United States to produce the Volt’s battery pack system. It
consists of lithium-ion cells that are grouped into modules, along with other key battery
components.
The plant will be located in Michigan, subject to negotiations with state and local
government authorities. Facility preparation will begin in early 2009, with production
tooling to be installed mid-year and output starting in 2010.
“The design, development and production of advanced batteries must be a core
competency for GM, and we’ve been rapidly building our capability and resources to
support this direction,” Wagoner said. “This is a further demonstration of our commitment
to the electrification of the automobile and to the Chevrolet Volt – a commitment that
now totals more than $1 billion.”
The Volt’s lithium-ion battery cells will be supplied by LG Chem. Compact Power Inc., a
subsidiary of LG Chem based in Troy, Mich., will build battery packs for Volt prototype
vehicles until GM’s battery facility is operational. A joint engineering contract with
Compact Power and LG Chem also has been signed to further expedite the
development of the Volt’s lithium-ion battery technology.
GM has been testing battery packs for the Volt, powered by cells from LG Chem, for the
past 16 months. These tests – both on the road and in the lab – have provided
invaluable insight into lithium-ion battery technology.
“Our selection of LG Chem was based on performance, production readiness,
efficiency, durability and LG Chem’s demonstrated track record of exceptional quality,”
Wagoner said. “At GM, we believe the technical strengths of LG Chem, combined with
our own engineering and manufacturing expertise, will help position us as a key player in
the development of electrically driven vehicles today and in the future.”
GM’s advanced battery strategy
“Our announcements are part of a comprehensive advanced battery strategy for GM that
is expanding along two pathways,” Wagoner said. “First, we’re identifying core
competencies – such as battery research, development and assembly – and integrating
these fundamentals into our product development and manufacturing operations. We
believe this will become a competitive advantage for GM, and will be critical to GM’s
long-term success. Secondly, we’re building a roster of battery suppliers and academic
experts from around the globe, and leveraging their specialized abilities to develop
battery chemistries and cell designs, as well as future automotive battery engineers.”
Key elements of GM’s advanced battery strategy include:

Opening the largest automotive battery lab in the United States (31,000 square
feet / 3,251 square meters) that will be capable of testing new energy storage
system technologies, as well as lithium-ion and nickel-metal hydride batteries, to
accelerate the domestic development of advanced battery technology and lead
GM’s network of existing labs in Honeoye Falls, N.Y.; Warren, Mich.; Torrance,
Calif.; and Mainz-Kastel, Germany. This new battery lab will be located in
Michigan, subject to final negotiations with state and local authorities

Continuing to ramp-up “in-house” battery-development capability by increasing
the staff of GM’s global hybrid, electric vehicle and advanced battery organization
to several hundred engineers in 2009, including more than 200 currently
dedicated to advanced battery technologies

Joining with the University of Michigan to create a new automotive advanced
battery lab in Ann Arbor, Mich., and a specialized curriculum within U of M’s
College of Engineering to develop automotive battery engineers

Continuing to grow and establish a robust lineup of battery suppliers for cell
development and manufacturing and battery integration expertise, with
companies such as LG Chem, A123Systems, Hitachi Ltd., Compact Power and
Cobasys

Collaborating with government organizations and industry consortia, such as the
U.S. Department of Energy; United States Council for Automotive Research; the
United States Advanced Battery Consortium LLC; and Electric Power Research
Institute to advance the development of hybrids, plug-ins and electric vehicles,
and related electric infrastructure to support those vehicles
Energy alternatives and advanced technologies that reduce dependency on petroleum,
improve fuel economy and reduce emissions are the keys to developing sustainable
transportation. GM is pursuing several options to best meet the varied needs of
customers around the world – from advanced gasoline, diesel and biofuel technology to
electrically assisted vehicles such as hybrids, plug-in hybrids and – ultimately –
electrically driven extended-range electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. GM
believes that electrically driven vehicles, based on battery and hydrogen fuel cell
technology, offer the best long-term solution for providing sustainable personal
transportation.
In June 2008, the GM Board of Directors approved the Chevrolet Volt program and
Voltec™ propulsion system for production starting in late 2010. For trips of up to
40 miles, the Volt is powered by electricity from the grid and stored in its lithium-ion
battery pack. Beyond 40 miles, a small engine-generator creates additional electricity to
extend the range of the Volt several hundred additional miles. The development of the
Volt’s 16 kWh T-shaped lithium-ion battery, which is roughly 6 feet long (1.8 meters) and
weighs nearly 400 pounds (181 kg), is key to the Volt’s success. The production-intent
design was revealed in September 2008.
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world’s largest automaker, has been the annual
global industry sales leader for 77 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about
252,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures
its cars and trucks in 34 countries. In 2007, nearly 9.37 million GM cars and trucks were
sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo,
Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM’s OnStar
subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services.
More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.
###
CONTACT(S):
Brian Corbett
GM Hybrid and Battery Technology
Phone: 248-857-0323 (office)
Phone: 586-612-6569 (mobile)
E-mail: brian.corbett@gm.com
Rob Peterson
GM Electric Vehicle Communications
Phone: 248-857-4214 (office)
Phone: 313-402-6326 (mobile)
E-mail: robert.d.peterson@gm.com
Dave Darovitz
Chevrolet Volt and Voltec Communications
Phone: 586-596-0871 (mobile)
E-mail: david.darovitz@gm.com