KB News Desk
Samsung SDI will buy General Motors’ entire stake in their $3.5 billion Indiana battery joint venture, giving the Korean battery maker its first wholly owned production plant in North America.
The company said Tuesday it plans to acquire GM’s 49.99 percent stake in SynergyCells, taking full ownership of the venture. It did not disclose the purchase price or expected completion date.
Established in 2024, SynergyCells is building a battery cell plant in New Carlisle, Indiana, with an annual production capacity of 27 gigawatt-hours.
The acquisition marks a shift in Samsung SDI’s North American strategy. Unlike Korean rivals LG Energy Solution and SK On, which established standalone US plants early in their expansion, Samsung SDI has taken a more cautious approach and relied largely on joint ventures.
Once the transaction is complete, the Indiana facility will become Samsung SDI’s first wholly owned battery plant in North America.
The plant will produce advanced batteries for a range of applications, including GM’s next-generation electric vehicles. Despite GM’s exit from the venture, the two companies will maintain their battery partnership.
Samsung SDI and GM have also signed a joint development agreement for prismatic EV batteries.
Samsung SDI plans to add an energy storage system battery line at the Indiana plant, allowing it to target fast-growing US demand beyond the slowing electric vehicle market.
The company has expanded its North American ESS business since last year through a series of large-scale supply agreements with major US energy companies.
“This decision reflects shifting market dynamics while allowing us to preserve our strategic partnership with GM,” a Samsung SDI official said.
“We will continue working alongside GM to prepare for the future of electric vehicles while simultaneously expanding our presence to capture rising US demand for energy storage systems.”
