GM teases affordable 400-mile electric trucks with manganese battery and rare-earth magnet US production bets

Select General Motors electric pickups already offer expensive trims capable of covering more than 400 miles of range on a charge, but the EV maker is preparing to make this the norm across its truck lineup.

GM has been developing a manganese-rich battery (LMR) together with LG for a decade and is ready to begin mass production in 2027, with more affordable 400-mile trucks scheduled for 2028 release. The LMR technology that makes them possible won the 2025 "Battery Innovation of the Year" award at the annual battery expo in Detroit, thanks to its high energy density and lower costs.

The lithium-manganese battery of GM and LG comes with energy density that is a third higher than that of the ubiquitous lithium ferrophosphate (LFP) batteries that are in everything, from mass electric vehicles to the popular Anker Prime power banks. The LFP technology is cheap and safe but with middling energy density, while nickel-based batteries come with high performance and long range on a charge, but are more volatile and expensive due to the use of metals like nickel and cobalt.

Manganese is more in abundance, so the LMR battery of LG and GM is cheaper than nickel-based ones. It, however, boasts competitive energy density that would allow for 400-mile trucks at a much lower cost, and can be charged to 100% without longevity issues. According to Kurt Kelty, VP of Batteries and Electrification:

LMR is the culmination of 10 years of research and is a technology that will deliver premium performance and a reasonable price. By improving battery performance and internalizing the supply chain, we will strengthen our North American-centric competitiveness. GM is optimizing its electric vehicle lineup by leveraging three chemistries in parallel: high-nickel for high performance, LFP for durability, and LMR for a balance of performance and price.

Elon Musk has also pegged the manganese technology as a perfect middle ground of costs and performance, while CATL now offers M3P manganese batteries with high energy density, too.

Unfortunately, US companies can't take advantage of Chinese batteries due to tariffs and export restrictions, so GM's strategy to localize production is paying off. Not only is its homebrew LMP battery entering mass production, but GM is now the only American automaker that won't be affected by China's tightened restrictions over the export of rare earth mineral magnets.

These are extensively used in the EV industry, so GM has been setting up a rare-earth magnet supply chain in the US since 2021, identifying partners and going into risky long-term purchase contracts with them. Risky, since Chinese magnets are cheaper, but now that rare earth exports are banned even if they only lead to magnet production with Chinese minerals abroad, GM can feel vindicated.

It is reaping the benefits of the decision to become less dependent on China with two rare-earth magnet manufacturing facilities coming online by the end of the year, whose main client will be GM. The rest will go to the Pentagon that invested $400 million in one of the US-based magnet companies, too. The government is a much smaller customer, though, so GM's gamble on EV battery and magnet independence will be key to expanding their production in the US.