General Motors and LG Energy Solution have announced a new phase in their ongoing partnership: developing a new battery cell chemistry that could significantly lower the cost of electric vehicles. The joint effort centers on lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) battery cells, a variation of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) that’s gaining popularity for being more affordable and less reliant on expensive materials like nickel and cobalt.
This is a big deal because battery costs are still the single largest expense in producing EVs. According to GM and industry experts, LMFP cells could help bring the cost of electric vehicles close to — or even on par with — gas-powered cars. The goal? Making EVs accessible to a broader range of drivers without sacrificing range or performance.
GM plans to use these LMFP batteries in future Ultium-based EVs, its modular electric platform that underpins models like the Chevrolet Equinox EV and Blazer EV. Those models are priced starting around $35,000–$50,000 — still noticeably higher than GM’s most popular internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles like the gas-powered Equinox and Silverado, which often start closer to $28,000 and $36,000, respectively.
If LMFP batteries can knock down those EV prices, that gap could shrink fast. This would be key to helping GM hit its long-term EV adoption targets while maintaining profitability. Unlike some pricier battery chemistries, LMFP batteries are more stable and cost-efficient, especially when produced at scale. GM and LG say production of these new cells will happen in the U.S., supporting domestic supply chains and eligibility for tax incentives.
In short, this partnership isn’t just a science experiment — it’s a step toward solving one of the EV market’s biggest roadblocks: affordability. If successful, it could mark a turning point in the electric era, where choosing an EV no longer means paying a premium.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?
Update (October 22 23:54 PT): In response to our query, GM clarified that offline recording support is already available on eligible vehicles. Like Tesla's Sentry Mode, it requires owners to connect a USB drive to save incident recordings, which can be viewed on the vehicle's infotainment screen. The upcoming Connected Cameras feature will build on this by giving owners remote access to these recordings via the revamped OnStar app, allowing them to check footage without walking out to their car.
General Motors has announced plans to add a new Connected Cameras feature to its OnStar service starting next year, giving drivers a way to monitor parked vehicles remotely and capture footage of certain incidents.