‘I want to see red’: General Motors is teaching its engineers to fail fast and ‘speak fearlessly’ as they take the EV battery fight to China

At the General Motors Technical Center, a National Historic Landmark in Warren, Mich., GM engineers are adapting to a new approach in the EV battery fight. The newly built $900 million Battery Cell Development Center (BCDC), along with the Innovation Center, is a testament to their ambition. Andy Oury, a veteran battery engineer, is driving around in his electric Silverado and emphasizing the importance of failing fast and speaking fearlessly, as part of GM's new philosophy.

Despite heavy charges, GM remains committed to EVs. In battery cell development, Oury and his counterpart, Anselmo "Mo" Gallegos, are focusing on lithium manganese-rich (LMR) cells, an alternative to the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells that dominate the market. LMR cells promise higher energy density and reduced reliance on Chinese technology.

The BCDC aims to ramp up production to a few thousand cells per day, with commercial production expected to start in 2028. GM's shift to LMR cells is a significant bet on chemistry, and if successful, it could offer cheaper, longer-range batteries for its biggest vehicles.