GM and LG Energy Solution Rush Manganese Batteries Before China Dominates the Supply Chain

General Motors and LG Energy Solution announced plans in May 2025 to commercialize lithium-manganese-rich (LMR) battery cells for long-range electric trucks and SUVs. The move sidesteps costly cobalt and nickel while targeting a market gap between cheap iron-phosphate and expensive nickel-heavy chemistries. The real urgency: avoiding what happened with LFP batteries, where Chinese manufacturers CATL and BYD scaled first and locked in supply-chain dominance before Western automakers recognized the advantage.