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Ultium Cells will invest $275 million in its Spring Hill, Tennessee, battery plant to expand EV battery cell output by 40%. The new expansion will help fuel GM’s aggressive EV strategy as it ramps production.

Ultium Cells was formed through a joint venture between GM and LG Energy Solutions. The Spring Hill, Tennessee, location is the second battery cell factory established through the partnership.

In April 2021, GM CEO Mary Barra confirmed that “the addition of our second all-new Ultium battery cell plant in the US with our joint venture partner LG Energy Solutions is another major step in our transition to an all-electric future.”

The joint venture, Ultium Cells, initially invested $2.3 billion to build the 2.8 million square foot EV battery facility, which they claim will “use the most advanced and efficient battery cell manufacturing processes.”

Ultium says progress is “well underway” after celebrating its million-hour milestone in September and is expected to begin production in late 2023.

The battery cells produced will be used for GM electric vehicles based on its Ultium platform, such as the all-electric Cadillac Lyriq built right down the street.

Ultium’s new investment will expand EV battery output by 15 GWh, aligning with GM’s electric vehicle strategy.

Ultium Cells investment to drive EV battery cell production

According to the EV battery maker’s press release, Ultium will use the $275 million investment to expand battery cell output from 35 GWh, as initially announced, to 50 GWh when the Spring Hill facility is fully operational.

Tom Gallagher, Ultium Cells LLC vice president of operations, commented on how the funds will help drive GM’s electric vehicle strategy, saying:

This investment will allow us to provide our customer GM more battery cells faster and support GM’s aggressive EV launch plan in the coming years.

GM’s vice president of EV Launch Excellence, Tim Herrick, added:

Ultium Cells will play a critical role in making GM’s commitment to an all-electric future a reality. By expanding battery cell output at Ultium Cells Spring Hill, this investment will help GM offer customers the broadest EV portfolio of any automaker and further solidifies our path toward U.S. EV leadership.

The first Ultium cell manufacturing facility opened in Warren, Ohio, which began production in August. And the third plant in Michigan is also under construction, slated to open in late 2024.

Ultium Cells expects to have over 130 GWh of battery cell capacity when all three EV battery plants are at full production. The cells will support GM’s goal of at least 1 million North American EV assembly capacity by mid-decade.

Electrek’s Take

GM is expanding its EV supply chain for the long haul. The automaker has embraced the electric vehicle movement and is backing up its claims with action.

Although an extra 15 GWh battery capacity may not seem like much overall, it’s a telling sign of GM’s aggressive EV launch to come. Barra has insisted GM has what it takes to overthrow Tesla in EV production, but it won’t be easy as the EV leader continues expanding at an impressive pace.

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Tesla’s sales fall 87% in Quebec as its market gets wiped out

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Tesla's sales fall 87% in Quebec as its market gets wiped out

Tesla’s sales have fallen 87% in Quebec in the first quarter 2025 compared to the same period last year.

The critical Canadian market has been wiped out, and Tesla is no longer importing new vehicles.

Quebec is the leading EV market in Canada, with the highest adoption rate of new electric vehicles.

That’s due to incentives, cheap hydro electricity, and a strong base of EV enthusiasts.

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As the EV leader in North America, Quebec became an important market for Tesla.

However, Tesla’s market in Quebec is now gone.

We don’t have all Canadian data for vehicle registrations in the first quarter; however, Le Devoir managed to obtain data for Quebec from the Société d’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), which revealed that Tesla delivered only 524 vehicles in Quebec during Q1 2025.

That’s down 87% compared to Q1 2024.

The pause in the Quebec and federal EV incentive programs contributed to the sharp decline, but the pause also happened in the quarter, which helped sales by creating urgency to buy and take delivery.

However, it also created an awkward situation for Tesla in which it was accused of filing thousands of questionable requests for incentives worth $42 million CAD, which it later claimed was a backlog of deliveries that it hadn’t filed yet.

This controversy added to growing brand damage for Tesla in Quebec and the broader Canada due to its CEO Elon Musk’s backing of Donald Trump, who is openly calling for the US to annex Canada.

Tesla’s Canadian Troubles are not over

While Q1 2025 was bad, Q2 could prove even worse. Tesla had to increase prices in Canada in April due to the Canadian government slapping 25% tariffs on its vehicles in response to Trump’s trade war.

The combination of the end of some incentive programs, the higher prices, and the degrading sentiment for Tesla in Canada and Quebec is leading to very few sales in the market.

A source familiar with the matter said that Tesla doesn’t plan to import more vehicles in the country this quarter due to low demand.

The broader EV market in Canada declined 45% in Q1 due to the pause in the incentive program, but Tesla’s decline was much sharper, indicating larger issues than just the lack of incentives.

Electrek’s Take

The situation for Tesla in Canada is even worse than in Europe right now. It’s not the largest market in terms of size, but it has a significantly higher EV adoption rate than the US and has helped Tesla in North America.

As long as the tariffs are in place, there’s little hope for Tesla in Canada.

Even if they are removed, which I hope happens soon, as it would mean a de-escalation of Trump’s dumb and illegal trade war, Tesla is still going to have major brand issues due to Musk’s backing of Trump and him saying some foolish things like “Canada is not a real country.”

All of those factors add to Tesla’s aging and limited lineup, which too heavily relies on Model Y, which had a refresh that wasn’t significant enough to revitalize sales.

It’s really hard to be optimistic about Tesla right now.

In Canada, Tesla currently has some inventory of the new Model Y, which it managed to secure before the tariffs. If you’re interested in a Cybertruck, there are plenty available. Although, I have a feeling that you are better off waiting a bit as I assume prices will come down.

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Here’s a closer look at Kia’s low-cost EV2 [Video]

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Here's a closer look at Kia's low-cost EV2 [Video]

Kia’s smallest and most affordable EV is already creating quite the buzz. The EV2 will sit below the EV3 in Kia’s expanding EV lineup. With its official launch approaching, the Kia EV2 was spotted on public roads, giving us a closer look at the upcoming electric SUV.

Take a closer look at the Kia EV2 caught on public roads

Although the EV2 will likely only be around 4,000 mm (157″) long, Kia promises it won’t feel so small when you’re actually in it.

Last month, we got a sneak peek of the interior at Milan Design Week. During an exclusive event, Kia showcased the EV2 concept and revealed a few new details we can expect to see.

Kia designed the EV2’s interior to be a relaxing retreat from the city’s hustle and bustle, sort of like a porch or balcony. Thanks to its flat floor layout, the SUV offers flexible seating. By folding the second-row seats and pushing the front seats forward, the EV2 offers an open space to stretch out or “enjoy a meal,” according to Kia.

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Although no other details were offered, like Kia’s newer EVs, you can expect to see its new ccNC panoramic infotainment system with dual 12.3″ driver and navigation screens.

After the EV2 was spotted driving on public roads, we are getting a better look at Kia’s upcoming electric SUV. The video from ShortsCar reveals a front-end design similar to that of the EV3, EV5, and EV9, featuring its signature vertical daytime running lights (DRLs) and Star Map lightning.

Kia EV2 driving on public roads (Source: ShortsCar)

Despite its small size, the EV2 has a surprisingly large presence on the road, thanks to its upright stance and broad wheel arches, reminiscent of the larger EV9.

A production version of the EV2 was also spotted in Germany this week, with its European debut just around the corner. The images by SH Proshots (via TheKoreanCarBlog) show a similar design to the model caught driving in Korea.

Kia will launch the EV2 in Europe and other regions in early 2026. Prices and final specs will be revealed closer to then, but the EV2 is expected to arrive with a WLTP range of around 300 miles (483 km). Smaller battery options could offer less range at a lower price.

Since it’s slated to sit below the EV3, which is 4,300 mm (169″) long, the EV2 is expected to be closer to 4,000 mm (157″) in length.

Like Kia’s other electric vehicles, it will be based on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform, which also underpins its IONIQ series.

Kia’s CEO, Ho-Sung Song, told Autocar that the company plans to launch the EV2 in the UK with prices starting at about £25,000 ($32,000). Since that was a few years ago, plans could have changed. We will learn more soon. Check back for the latest.

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Voltpost just flipped the switch on its first public lamppost EV charger

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Voltpost just flipped the switch on its first public lamppost EV charger

Voltpost, a startup that turns existing lampposts into EV chargers, has officially launched its first public charging site in Oak Park, Illinois. The curbside charger, installed in partnership with the Park District of Oak Park and utility ComEd, brings easy, affordable EV charging access right to the neighborhood.

Instead of building entirely new charging stations, Voltpost retrofits existing lampposts with a modular Level 2 charging platform. That means less construction, lower costs, and quicker deployment – Voltpost says its EV charger can be installed on a lamppost in minutes. It’s controlled via a mobile app, and it’s designed to serve public spaces like curbs and parking lots, as well as private locations like university campuses and apartment complexes.

“The deployment of a Voltpost charger in Oak Park will expand EV charging access for the local community and help catalyze the transition to sustainable transportation,” said Voltpost CEO and cofounder Jeffrey Prosserman. “This builds on our work in New York and Michigan, and it’s a step toward scaling our platform nationwide.”

Voltpost says its approach is more sustainable and equitable, since it’s using infrastructure that’s already there instead of building from scratch. And it opens up EV charging to more people who don’t have a private driveway or garage.

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Kassie Porreca, president of the Park District Board of Commissioners, said, “Ensuring the residents of Oak Park benefit from affordable access to EV charging infrastructure is vital to fulfilling our commitment to serving the needs of our community.”

Najwa Abouhassan, senior manager at ComEd and a liaison for the 2c2i climate tech initiative, said this project connects innovation with community impact. “We’re proud to support Voltpost’s mission to bring sustainable, street-level charging to the places people live and work.”

With this first public site now live, Voltpost says it’s aiming to expand across the country, turning more streetlights into smart charging hubs for EV drivers.

In 2023, Voltpost participated in the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Studio program, a collaboration between the NYC DOT and Newlab. In its pilot, Voltpost installed chargers on lampposts at Newlab in Brooklyn and in a DOT parking lot. The chargers were installed in an hour, operated with a high uptime, and got positive feedback from EV drivers.

Read more: This lamppost EV charger just went commercial in the US


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