Battery producer LG Vitality Answer simply introduced that its Arizona subsidiary has signed a long-term provide settlement with US automaker Rivian for 4695 cylindrical batteries. The cells can be produced at LG Vitality Answer Arizona’s new standalone US facility starting subsequent yr and can energy Rivian’s upcoming R2 BEVs.
LG Vitality Answer (LGES) is a derivative entity of LG Chem specializing in battery growth and manufacturing. Within the 4 quick years because the entity was based, the Korean firm has established partnerships and provide agreements with OEMs worldwide and is at the moment one of many leaders in its respective market behind long-time frontrunner CATL.
When the Biden administration launched the Inflation Discount Act, which included tax incentives for BEVs and their batteries assembled on US soil, LGES was one the preferred battery producers OEMs reached out to for joint ventures to arrange localized cell manufacturing in North America.
Since then, we’ve seen facility plans introduced between LGES and automakers like Hyundai Motor Group, Stellantis, Honda, and Ford, which lately determined to convey its operations stateside over from Europe. Toyota additionally has a provide settlement in place with LG Vitality Answer.
In 2022, we lined the information that LG Vitality Answer was investing $450 million to provide 4680 battery cells, a format pioneered by Tesla. The corporate has since developed taller, higher-capacity cells known as 4695.
At the moment, the corporate introduced a brand new deal for these 4695 cylindrical batteries, which can be produced in Arizona and delivered to Rivian for its R2 fashions.
Rivian R2 can be powered by LG Vitality Answer batteries
LG Vitality Answer shared particulars of its newest provide settlement this afternoon. The corporate has signed on to supply Rivian with its superior 4695 cylindrical batteries for over 5 years, delivering a complete vitality capability of 67 GWh throughout that point.
The “4695” nomenclature refers back to the dimensions of the battery cells, which have a diameter of 46mm and a peak of 95mm. LG Vitality Answer defined that its 20 years of analysis and growth in cylindrical batteries have gone into its next-generation 4695 cells for Rivian.
The battery specialist states that its bigger cells will supply OEMs long-range and excessive security whereas delivering over six occasions the capability of the prevailing 2170 cylindrical cells common in BEV battery modules at this time. LG Vitality Answer CEO David Kim spoke concerning the firm’s 4695 batteries and its sturdy provide settlement with Rivian:
As a result of dynamic nature of the present EV market, an rising variety of world automakers are demonstrating a powerful desire for a various vary of battery type components. This massive-scale order from Rivian for 4695 batteries marks a key milestone for LG Vitality Answer in increasing its shopper base throughout the cylindrical battery section.
At the moment, we additionally discovered that the batteries for Rivian will finally be manufactured at its pending facility in Arizona throughout the first yr of manufacturing, then delivered to Rivian’s meeting plant in Regular, Illinois, the place they are going to be applied in R2 fashions bought within the North American market.
Development of LGES’ Arizona facility is underway and anticipated to be accomplished and start full-scale manufacturing in lower than two years from now.
The Rivian R2 was unveiled this previous March to a lot fanfare, and nicely over 100,000 pre-orders have since been positioned. It is going to be assembled on the Regular, IL, facility and should finally transfer to the American Automaker’s second manufacturing plant, which stays below development in Georgia.
Throughout its reveal, Rivian shared that it expects the R2 BEV to achieve the market within the first half of 2026. If that timeline holds, it ought to be proper round when LG Vitality Answer begins producing batteries for these Rivian fashions in Arizona.
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