where are car batteries made

[Peter]

The answer isn't simple, as a single car battery is a global product. The cells (the individual power units) are predominantly manufactured in Asia, led by China, which currently holds over 70% of global production capacity. However, the final battery pack assembly is increasingly happening in North America, near the automakers' plants, spurred by incentives like the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act.

The global supply chain is complex. China's dominance is due to its control over the refining of critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and graphite. Major Korean companies like LG Energy Solution and SK On, and Japanese players like Panasonic, are key suppliers to global automakers. They are now building massive factories, often called "gigafactories," in the United States through joint ventures with Ford, GM, Stellantis, and Hyundai.

This shift is significant. For example, Panasonic produces cells for Tesla in Nevada, and LG Energy Solution has joint ventures with GM (Ultium Cells LLC) in Ohio, Tennessee, and Michigan. The goal is to create a domestic supply chain to qualify for EV tax credits and reduce geopolitical risks.

Manufacturer / Joint Venture	Primary Cell Production Location(s)	Key Automotive Partner(s)	U.S. Gigafactory Locations (Operational/Building)
CATL	China	Tesla, Ford, BMW, others	Exploring partnerships in MI, VA
LG Energy Solution	South Korea, Poland	GM, Honda, Hyundai	OH, TN, MI (with GM); GA (with Hyundai)
Panasonic	Japan, USA	Tesla	NV, KS (planned)
SK On	South Korea, Hungary	Ford, Hyundai	GA (with Ford), KY (with Ford)
Samsung SDI	South Korea, Malaysia	Stellantis, BMW	IN (with Stellantis)
Northvolt	Sweden	Volkswagen, BMW, Volvo	No current U.S. facility

So, while the core technology and raw material processing are still concentrated in Asia, the final manufacturing and assembly are rapidly moving to the U.S., creating a more distributed and competitive global market.

[StPhoebe]

It's a mix, but for an American buying a new electric car, the battery pack was likely assembled right here. The individual cells inside might come from South Korea or Japan, but companies like GM and Ford are building huge factories with partners like LG and SK to do the final packaging in states like Ohio and Tennessee. It’s all about qualifying for tax credits and shortening the supply chain.

[SanZachary]

Think of it in two parts: cells and packs. The cells—the essential power components—are mostly made in China, which has a huge lead in refining the necessary minerals. However, the pack assembly, where cells are grouped with cooling and management systems, is globalizing fast. For the U.S. market, automakers are incentivized to localize this final, bulky step near their assembly lines, shifting the "made where" answer closer to home.

[DelTimothy]

From an economic and policy standpoint, the location is changing rapidly. Historically, Asia dominated. But the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act is a game-changer, using tax incentives to force a supply chain shift. Billions are being invested in new gigafactories across the American South and Midwest. So, while we still import many components, the value-added final assembly is becoming a domestic industry, creating jobs and aiming for supply chain security.