WARREN, Mich. — General Motors expects to pioneer a new “groundbreaking” EV battery technology that the automaker says will reduce costs and boost profitability of its largest electric SUVs and trucks.

GM is targeting the new batteries and chemistry inside them — called lithium manganese-rich (LMR) prismatic battery cells — to be used in full-size electric vehicles such as its Chevrolet Silverado and Escalade IQ beginning in 2028.

The new batteries use more-prevalent, less-expensive minerals like manganese instead of larger amounts of cobalt and nickel that are currently used in EV batteries from GM and other automakers.

Different EV battery chemistries impact everything from the range and safety of EVs to energy efficiency and charging capabilities, among other needs.

“LMR unlocks the premium range and performance at an affordable cost,” said Kurt Kelty, GM vice president of battery, propulsion and sustainability, during a media event at the automaker’s tech and design campus in suburban Detroit. “It’s a game-changing battery for electric trucks.”

GM’s first-to-market expectations come after crosstown rival Ford Motor earlier this month announced its intention to launch what it similarly called “game-changing” LMR batteries before 2030.

LMR batteries have been around for decades, but they’ve historically offered a far shorter lifespan, according to Sam Abuelsamid, vice president of market research at auto advisory firm Telemetry.

It’s a problem GM believes it has solved with its LMR batteries, which are being developed in partnership with LG Energy Solution.

Ultium Cells, a GM and LG Energy Solution joint venture, plans to start commercial production of LMR prismatic cells in the U.S. by 2028, with preproduction expected to begin at an LG Energy Solution facility by late 2027.

LMR prismatic cells
Prismatic cells references the form, or shape, of the square battery cells. They’ve historically been used in hybrid vehicles such as the Toyota Prius, followed more recently by EVs.

GM, for several years, has been using rectangular “pouch” cells in the U.S., while also also utilizing cylindric cells in China. GM says it first started researching manganese-rich lithium-ion battery cells in 2015, accelerating the technology development in recent years.

GM expects the new prismatic LMR batteries and supporting technologies to cut hundreds of pounds from its large EVs. The new battery packs will have 50% fewer parts as well as a significant reduction in the number of modules, or cell cases, inside the vehicles’ battery packs, GM said.

For EVs, battery cells are typically combined into battery modules, which are then installed in battery packs that get integrated into a vehicle.

Kelty said the LMR batteries will be supplemental to GM’s current pouch cell batteries, formerly known as Ultium, as well as upcoming LFP — lithium iron phosphate — prismatic battery cells that are expected to be used in smaller, entry-level EVs.