General Motors Co. (GM) will invest $760 million at its Toledo, Ohio, propulsion manufacturing operations to prepare the facility for production of drive units that will be used in future Ultium-based battery electric trucks, including the Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV and GMC Hummer EVs. Toledo Propulsion Systems will be GM’s first U.S. powertrain or propulsion-related manufacturing facility transformed for EV-related production. Once the plant is converted, it will produce GM’s family of EV drive units, which convert electric power from the battery pack to mechanical motion at the wheels. GM’s EV drive units will cover front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive propulsion combinations.

Honda Motor Co. and LG Energy Solution announced an agreement to establish a joint venture (JV) to produce lithium-ion batteries in the United States to power Honda and Acura EV models for the North American market. The companies will invest a total of $4.4 billion in the plant, which aims to have an annual production capacity of approximately 40 GWh. The pouch-type batteries produced at the JV plant will be supplied exclusively to Honda facilities in North America. While the location for the facility is yet to be finalized, the companies plan to begin construction in early 2023 in order to enable the start of mass production of lithium-ion battery cells by the end of 2025.

Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) is increasing its investment to more than $10 billion in the United States by 2025 to further its goal to lead sustainable and smart mobility solutions. The group’s investment plans are designed to accelerate innovation and mobility electrification. The move supports carbon-neutrality goals with new technologies and contributes to manufacturing in the United States. As part of the investment, HMG announced a $5.54 billion plan to establish its first dedicated EV and battery manufacturing facility in Georgia to build a range of electric vehicles. The plant, located on 2,923 acres in Bryan County, will break ground in early 2023 and is expected to begin commercial production in the first half of 2025 with an annual capacity of 300,000 units.

Cummins Inc. and Meritor Inc. entered into a definitive agreement under which Cummins will acquire Meritor, a global provider of drivetrain, mobility, braking, aftermarket and electric powertrain solutions for commercial vehicle and industrial markets, for approximately $3.7 billion. Troy, Mich.-based Meritor has more than 9,600 employees. The transaction, which is expected to close by the end of the 2022, will position Cummins as one of the few companies able to provide integrated powertrain solutions across combustion and electric power applications.

General Motors Co. will invest more than $7 billion in four Michigan manufacturing sites. The investment will create 4,000 new jobs, retain 1,000 and significantly increase battery-cell and electric-truck manufacturing capacity. The single largest investment in GM history includes construction of a new Ultium Cells battery cell plant in Lansing and the conversion of GM’s assembly plant in Orion Township for production of the Chevrolet Silverado EV and the electric GMC Sierra.

Toyota will invest approximately $3.4 billion in automotive batteries in the United States through 2030. Specifically, the investment is for developing and localizing automotive battery production, including those for battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Toyota Motor North America also announced it will establish a new company and build an automotive battery plant together with Toyota Tsusho in the U.S. Aiming to start production in 2025, the project includes an investment of approximately $1.29 billion until 2031, resulting in the creation of 1,750 new American jobs.

Nucor Corp. launched Econiq, a line of net-zero carbon-steel products. Building the green economy and the necessary infrastructure requires clean, advanced steel products. According to Nucor, Econiq is a first of its kind at scale for the U.S. steel industry. General Motors will receive the Econiq net-zero steel beginning in the first quarter of 2022, and it is projected that all steel purchased by GM from Nucor will be net carbon neutral by the end of 2022. The Econiq brand will be available across the complete line of Nucor steelmaking products, and initial quantities will be limited.

American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM) will expand its Three Rivers Manufacturing Facility (TRMF) in Michigan, including installing a new production line and adding approximately 100 new jobs. TRMF is a critical facility that currently manufactures front and rear axles and EcoTrac disconnecting all-wheel-drive systems. The expansion will allow AAM to add additional axle production at the facility, which produces many of the company’s most in-demand technologies, while boosting local jobs and increasing investment in Michigan.

American Axle & Manufacturing Inc. (AAM) and REE Automotive will jointly develop a new electric propulsion system for e-Mobility. The companies intend to leverage AAM’s system integration capabilities and focus on NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) reduction to incorporate AAM’s electric drive units, which feature fully integrated high-speed motors and inverter technology, into REE’s modular and disruptive REEcorner technology. The technology integrates critical vehicle components (steering, braking, suspension, powertrain and control) into the area between the chassis and the wheel to deliver significant functional and economic advantages. The electric drive units will be developed at AAM’s Advanced Technology and Development Center in Detroit with delivery of prototypes planned by the end of 2021.