General Motors May Soon Start Producing Batteries In China

General Motors could start producing batteries for its plug-in hybrid models in

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by Brad Anderson

July 29, 2016 at 02:00

General Motors could start producing batteries for its plug-in hybrid models in China as part of the firm’s ‘Made in China 2025’ plan announced in mid-2015.

During a tour at the company’s Brownstone Battery Assembly Plant, GM’s director of global battery systems Bill Wallace hinted to Autoblog that there’s a good chance GM will build battery packs in China in the future.

Cadillac is preparing to launch the CT6 plug-in hybrid in China in the coming months before the U.S. receives the fuel efficient model in 2017. Even though the model will initially only be available in China, its battery packs are made in Michigan and then shipped to China where they are installed into the luxurious sedan.

Somewhat curiously, all Cadillac CT6 plug-in hybrids will be built in China and then exported internationally. This means that U.S.-bound models will utilize batteries which have been made in Michigan, shipped to China and then shipped back to the U.S. once installed into the car.

This clearly isn’t the most efficient way of doing things so it seems probable that when demand for GM’s battery-assisted cars is high enough in China, battery production will commence there.