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LG Energy Solution held an opening ceremony for its "Michigan Lansing" plant on the 18th (local time). From left: Consul General Hong Sang-woo (Chicago), Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, LG Energy Solution CEO Kim Dong-myung, and Michigan Country Manager Choi Dae-sik. / LG Energy Solution

LG Energy Solution is expanding its North American battery production footprint, launching full operations at its Lansing, Michigan plant. Beyond EV batteries, the company plans to produce ESS-focused LFP batteries at the same site, strengthening its push into the rapidly growing North American ESS market.

LG Energy Solution announced on the 19th that it held an opening ceremony for its "Michigan Lansing plant" on the 18th (local time).

The event was attended by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Consul General Hong Sang-woo of Chicago, and LG Energy Solution CEO Kim Dong-myung, among others.

The Lansing plant is LG Energy Solution's seventh production facility in North America, serving as a combined manufacturing hub producing both LFP batteries for ESS and NCM batteries for electric vehicles. The plant is expected to secure total annual battery cell production capacity of more than 35 GWh.

ESS-focused LFP batteries will be supplied to customers in power infrastructure and AI data centers through Vertech, LG Energy Solution's ESS system integration (SI) subsidiary. As of the end of last year, LG Energy Solution held about 140 GWh in ESS order backlog, and secured more than 3 trillion won in new orders in the first half of this year alone.

EV batteries produced at the plant will be supplied to Toyota, set to be used in vehicles such as the 2027 Toyota Highlander, produced at Toyota's Georgetown, Kentucky plant.

With the Lansing plant now operational, LG Energy Solution has established five ESS production hubs in North America: three standalone plants in Lansing and Holland, Michigan, and Ontario, Canada, along with a joint venture plant with Honda in Ohio and a joint venture plant with GM in Tennessee. LG Energy Solution plans to expand its ESS-focused LFP battery production capacity in North America to more than 50 GWh by the end of this year.

This expansion of production capacity is also significant as part of a "strategic rebalancing" effort to diversify the company's business structure — previously centered on EVs — toward ESS and other areas. As EV market growth slows while ESS demand grows rapidly amid expanding AI data centers and increased power grid investment, the strategy is to utilize existing production facilities in line with shifting market demand.

In particular, local production in the U.S. is expected to strengthen supply chain stability and help the company respond to competition from Chinese-made batteries and U.S. supply chain regulations.

LG Energy Solution CEO Kim Dong-myung said, "The launch of the Lansing plant is an important milestone that will accelerate the growth of LG Energy Solution's North American business," adding, "We will build a state-of-the-art battery manufacturing network to support the future of America's mobility industry and energy infrastructure, strengthening the U.S. battery ecosystem and expanding our local production capabilities."

                                                                                                           Kim Jeong-kyu