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 shall 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 brief years for the reason that entity was based, the Korean firm has established partnerships and provide agreements with OEMs worldwide and is presently 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 just lately determined to deliver its operations stateside over from Europe. Toyota additionally has a provide settlement in place with LG Vitality Answer.
In 2022, we coated 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 referred to as 4695.
Right this moment, the corporate introduced a brand new deal for these 4695 cylindrical batteries, which shall be produced in Arizona and delivered to Rivian for its R2 fashions.
Rivian R2 shall 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 offer 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 top 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 present 2170 cylindrical cells in style in BEV battery modules right this moment. LG Vitality Answer CEO David Kim spoke concerning the firm’s 4695 batteries and its sturdy provide settlement with Rivian:
Because of the dynamic nature of the present EV market, an growing variety of world automakers are demonstrating a powerful choice for a various vary of battery kind elements. This huge-scale order from Rivian for 4695 batteries marks a key milestone for LG Vitality Answer in increasing its shopper base inside the cylindrical battery section.
Right this moment, we additionally realized that the batteries for Rivian will ultimately be manufactured at its pending facility in Arizona inside 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 offered 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 ultimately transfer to the American Automaker’s second manufacturing plant, which stays beneath building in Georgia.
Throughout its reveal, Rivian shared that it expects the R2 BEV to succeed in the market within the first half of 2026. If that timeline holds, it needs to be proper round when LG Vitality Answer begins producing batteries for these Rivian fashions in Arizona.
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