General Motors Plans to Sell Indiana Battery Joint Venture to Samsung SDI
Taylor Wilson
General Motors plans to sell its 50% stake in an Indiana EV battery joint venture to Samsung SDI — the second time it has handed a battery-plant stake back to a Korean partner, marking a systematic retreat from EV capacity expansion.
What exactly is being sold?
GM is selling its 50% stake in a battery JV plant in New Carlisle, Indiana, along with a 680-acre site. Samsung SDI will take full control.
The project was announced roughly two years ago with a planned $3.5 billion total investment, a 2027 production target, and 1,600 eventual jobs.
The building is finished, but no production equipment has been installed. GM has spent about $300 million on the site so far. In plain terms = GM built an empty shell for $300 million and is now handing it to Samsung.
Why is GM selling?
EVs account for only about 5% of GM's sales. Hybrids are selling more strongly in the U.S. market.
Weak EV demand and the Trump administration's removal of federal purchase subsidies have compounded. GM has booked roughly $11 billion in cumulative impairment charges on its EV programs.
This means → CEO Mary Barra bet $35 billion on EVs and autonomous driving; the market hasn't followed, and the company is now systematically shrinking capacity while still saying it remains "committed to EVs."
Is this an isolated move or a pattern?
It is not the first. GM previously sold its stake in another planned battery plant back to LG Energy Solution and converted a Detroit-area assembly plant to produce gas-powered trucks and SUVs.
Ultium Cells LLC, a Tennessee JV with LG Energy Solution, has pivoted to making cells for stationary energy storage — large batteries that power grids or buildings, not cars.
This reflects a strategic shift from "build out everything" to "scale back to demand" — plants are either sold or repurposed.
What happens after Samsung SDI takes over?
People familiar with the matter say it is unclear how Samsung SDI will use the facility — whether it will finish equipping the plant, repurpose it, or do something else entirely.
An announcement is expected Tuesday, Seoul time. Samsung SDI has not responded to requests for comment.
This means → the real value of this deal hinges on whether Samsung SDI can activate a factory that currently has walls but no machines.
Content is for reference only, not financial advice.