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- GM opened its first Ultium Cells LLC battery manufacturing plant in Warren, Ohio, with plans for more facilities to come.
- GM joined the First Movers Coalition for steel and aluminum, a commitment to work toward a solution and signal support for the development of low-CO2 aluminum and steel products.
- GM provided $60 million in grants to more than 400 U.S. nonprofits working in education, road safety, community enrichment and climate initiatives.
General Motors released its 2022 Sustainability Report, focused on the company’s progress toward its vision of an all-electric future, including highlights around investments to rapidly scale EV production capacity, partnerships to improve the sustainability of GM’s supply chain, and efforts made to secure the renewable energy needed to power its U.S. sites by 2025.
GM has committed to carbon neutrality in its global productions and operations by 2040 and has Science Based Targets initiative-approved targets for greenhouse gas reductions. The new report details how GM is working toward these goals across its priority areas of innovation, environmental action, social responsibility and governance.
Through investments in EV and battery cell manufacturing, GM is rapidly scaling up its production footprint for the capacity to build 1 million EVs in North America in 2025. GM opened its first Ultium Cells LLC battery manufacturing plant in Warren, Ohio, in August 2022 and is planning to open additional facilities in mid-2023 (Spring Hill, Tennessee) and late 2024 (Lansing, Michigan). In April, GM also announced a plan for a joint investment of more than $3 billion with Samsung SDI to build a new battery cell manufacturing plant in the U.S. that is targeted to begin operations in 2026 (location to be shared at a later date). GM and Samsung SDI will jointly operate the facility, which is projected to have production lines to build nickel-rich prismatic and cylindrical cells.
“At GM, the focus of our impact is on helping to create an all-electric future that works for everyone,” said Kristen Siemen, GM chief sustainability officer. “Beyond manufacturing EVs that are affordable and accessible, we’re working to improve our supply chain, investing in communities, and advancing clean energy solutions. It’s a big mission, and I’m proud of the progress we’ve made and our tenacity to lead the way.”
See related article: GM and Samsung SDI To Invest More Than $3 Billion To Expand U.S. Battery Cell Manufacturing
As the business continues to expand its EV portfolio, GM is working to incorporate responsibly sourced materials in vehicles. In the last year, GM joined the First Movers Coalition for concrete, cement, steel, and aluminum, to work toward a solution and signal its support for the development of low-CO2 materials.
GM is also supporting the growth of renewable power generation through direct investments, on-site power generation, green tariffs, and power purchase agreements. In late 2022, GM finalized energy sourcing agreements to secure 100% of the energy needed to power all U.S. facilities from renewable energy by 2025, demonstrating tangible progress in reducing emissions in its business operations.
Additional highlights in the report include:
- Cruise, the autonomous driving subsidiary of GM, launched the first paid driverless ride-hailing service in a major U.S. city in San Francisco, followed by commercial expansion into the Phoenix, Arizona, and Austin, Texas areas.
- GM secured all the battery raw materials to support its goal of 1 million units of EV capacity in North America in 2025.
- GM Energy was introduced — a new business unit that aims to provide a holistic ecosystem of connected energy management solutions for residential, commercial and EV customers.
- GM achieved its goal of diverting more than 90% of its total operational waste from landfills, incinerators and energy recovery facilities, three years ahead of its 2025 goal.
GM reports its annual data in reference to several reporting frameworks, including the Global Reporting Initiative, Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, UN Global Compact and the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.