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GM and LG Energy Solution, through their Ultium partnership, announced a giant new 50 GWh battery cell factory coming to Lansing, Michigan in the US.

It’s going to be the third Ultium battery factory to support GM’s EV ambitions.

Tesla and LG Energy Solutions are reportedly in talks to produce the automaker’s new 4680 battery cell at a brand-new factory potentially in Europe or the US.

GM has confirmed that it is working with LG to build another battery factory in the US under their joint-venture.

LG is reportedly preparing to produce Tesla’s new 4680 battery cell at a pilot production line at its own factory in South Korea.

Today, LG Electronics announced plans to establish a new U.S. factory for “advanced electric vehicle (EV) components” in Michigan.

The Korean electronic manufacturer made the announcement after it saw its revenue from vehicle components grow 43% to more than $1.5 billion, which they attribute “in large part to the successful collaboration with General Motors on the popular Chevrolet Bolt EV.”

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Tesla often said that the Model 3’s $35,000 price tag was dependent on the company achieving its battery cost reduction goals at the Gigafactory. Recently, Tesla officials said that the Gigafactory should no longer be seen as a constraint in the Model 3 supply chain and that the company is confident in its capacity to start producing battery cells.

The factory was first presented as having a full annual output capacity of 35 GWh of battery cells and 50 GWh of battery packs – with the difference in cells being imported from other manufacturers, like Tesla’s Gigafactory partner Panasonic, but also other possible cells suppliers.

Now it looks like Tesla is looking to South Korea to diversify its battery cell supply chain for the Model 3.
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Amnesty International and Afrewatch published a new investigative report (embedded below) explaining in details the global supply chain of cobalt and the use of child labor to source the mineral in Congo.

The report highlights the failure of certain electronics and electric car companies to ensure that the cobalt used in their batteries is not sourced using child labor. It names several automakers like Mercedes, VW and BYD, as well as several battery manufacturers known to supply automakers, like LG Chem (GM and Nissan). The report also goes after electronic giants Apple, Samsung and others.
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Navigant Research recently named LG Chem the #1 leading supplier of batteries for electric vehicles. The company has been a longtime partner of GM for the production of the Chevy Volt and it recently attracted interest from other electric vehicle makers such as Nissan and Tesla.

Those manufacturers plan to introduce several mass market electric vehicles in the coming years and if LG wants to keep its lead, it will need to significantly increase its battery production output. And the Korea-based electronic giant is counting on its Michigan battery plant to keep up with the auto market. 
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Yesterday we reported that Tesla is in the final stages of negotiations with LG Chem for a battery cell supply agreement. Today, we learn through the WSJ (paywall) that Tesla confirmed the agreement and that the company will start by using the battery cells for the battery upgrade of the Roadster 3.0.

Furthermore, The Korea Industry Post reports that another Korean electronics giant, Samsung, is reportedly about to sign an agreement to supply battery cells to Tesla.
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General Motors held a press conference today to update the media on its partnership with LG and their supply relationship for the upcoming Chevy Bolt. GM confirmed that the Korea-based electronic giant will make most of the components that make the Bolt an electric vehicle including the battery pack, the electric motor and the power electronics.
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