OHIO, MICHIGAN AND TENNESSEE — Ultium Cells LLC, a joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solutions, has received a $2.5 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Programs Office (LPO). The loan will help finance the construction of three new lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing facilities in Warren, Ohio; Lansing, Mich.; and Spring Hill, Tenn. JLL assisted the DOE in the credit risk evaluation of the project structure, including the allocation of risk, the strength of construction, supply and purchase contracts. JLL also negotiated the loan terms and conditions. The construction projects are expected to create more than 11,000 jobs. The three new facilities will manage battery cell production to respond to the growing U.S. consumer demand for electric vehicles. The transaction marks LPO’s first closed loan exclusively for a battery cell manufacturing project under the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing program. In October, the federal government launched the American Battery Materials Initiative to grow the end-to-end battery supply chain alongside $2.8 billion in grants from the DOE.
