GM’s electric future depends on a new battery — and this building

Hidden among the architectural landmarks of General Motors’ sprawling Warren Tech Center outside Detroit is a new cornerstone of the automaker’s $900 million bet on its electric future. The nondescript 500,000-square-foot pair of off-white boxes, which houses GM’s new Battery Cell Development Center, might not look like much. But locked inside is the key to GM’s plan to slash the cost of its EVs by nearly 10%. At a time when some car companies are pulling back on EVs, GM’s new Battery Cell Development Center is part of a reboot. And it’s one that GM told TechCrunch will allow it to bring a new slate of lower cost batteries to market a year faster than planned. GM’s Battery Cell Development Center spans two buildings and 500,000 square feet. Image Credits: GM GM hasn’t been immune to the malaise in the U.S. EV market. Last year, the automaker took a $1.6 billion charge as it reconfigured its EV production capacity, laying off thousands of workers in the process. It has also reportedly shelved , if temporarily, a refresh of its full-size EV trucks and SUVs. To get its EV strategy back on track, Kurt Kelty, vice president of battery and sustainability at GM, is pinning the company’s success on a new battery chemistry known as LMR. Kelty, who previously led battery technology at Tesla, has made it his signature product in the two years he’s been with the company. “That is really going to be our bread and butter,” Kelty told TechCrunch. …