Good Jobs at Ultium Cells in Warren, Ohio

Ultium was announced as an equally owned joint venture between GM and LGES, leveraging GM’s manufacturing expertise and LGES’s battery-cell technology. This facility now employs nearly 2,200 hourly and salaried workers, more than what was operating in Lordstown when the facility closed. Ultium has announced $2.6 billion in investment in the facility. In 2023, the facility had the nation’s second highest operational battery cell manufacturing capacity, after Panasonic in Nevada.

The facility is part of a broader investment agenda for GM and LGES. LGES’ parent company, LG Corporation, has announced more investment in EV manufacturing facilities in the United States than any other parent company, per EV Jobs Hub. Including the joint venture Ultium Cells facilities, LG Corporation has announced $18.9 billion in the EV manufacturing supply chain, with operations across at least five states in the U.S. Meanwhile, GM is third for announced investment at $17.9 billion.

One critical enabler is federal support. Though this facility was originally announced before the passage of IIJA and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Ultium Cells and its product benefit from the legislation through tax credits for production (45X), loans for facility construction, and downstream consumer tax credits for qualifying EV buyers. GM and LGES are expected to receive a $35 tax credit per kWh for battery cells produced. Eligible EVs using the cells may receive a tax credit valued at up to $7,500 for qualifying vehicle purchasers.