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LORDSTOWN -- Ultium Cells LLC -- an electric vehicle battery-cell manufacturing plant jointly backed by General Motors and South Korea's LG Chem -- has acquired 144.2 acres of land near where its massive facility is under construction.
The land is divided into two parcels -- 45.6 acres on Hallock Young Road and 98.6 acres on Tod Avenue SW, according to the Trumbull County Auditor's office, which also shows the industrial properties are to the south and to the west of the Ultium plant.
The county website, however, does not provide a sale price. It does show the seller is electric vehicle startup Lordstown Motors Corp., which in November 2019 bought for $20 million GM's former automaking plant and land in Lordstown.
GM spokesman Dan Flores said Tuesday the land was acquired "primarily to support the placement and routing of utilities needed to service" Ultium Cells.
Beyond that, "it provides us flexibility as well, but I can't really define what flexibility means at this point in time," Flores said.
He also tamped down speculation of expansion of the plant, which is expected to start production sometime in the first quarter of 2022.
"I don't want to create a bunch of speculation that we are going to double the plant, but certainly 144 acres is a significant plot of property. But at this point in time, I have not heard of any plans to expand what hasn't even opened yet," Flores said. "Having the property increases our flexibility so we would have options in the future if needed, but I don't want to create speculation (on) something that isn't there."
The $2.3 billion plant is about 3.1 million square feet -- big enough to contain more than 30 football fields. Cells produced there will help power GM's all-electric future. Already, the automaker announced cells will be used in several GM models, including the GMC Hummer, Cadillac Lyriq, Bolt EV / EUV, and Cruise Origin -- GM's electric driverless vehicle.
GM has not confirmed how many vehicles will by powered by Ultium Cells, but the plant will have an annual capacity of more than 30 gigawatt hours with room for expansion.
In late October, plant manager Tom Gallagher told this newspaper the focus of the joint venture's leadership team was "executing the investment that is in front us.
"We've got quite a challenge in front of us to manage the construction, the concurrent installation and launch of the plant, and that has been our focus," said Gallagher, who added there is no activity on the property to expand the plant.
The plant sits on 158 acres on Tod Avenue east of GM's former plant. The automaker, which previously owned the land, bought it back in March for $5.1 million from NP Lordstown 173 LLC, an affiliate of Kansas City-based North Point Development.
When the plant is fully operational, it will employ upward of 1,100 workers.
rselak@tribtoday.com