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GM to announce second U.S. battery plant, in Tennessee, with LG Chem, sources say

General Motors and South Korean joint-venture partner LG Chem will announce a second U.S. battery cell manufacturing plant on Friday, revealing plans for a $2.3 billion factory in Spring Hill, Tennessee, three people familiar with the matter said. The plant will use a different, more cost-effective battery chemistry than the one the companies will offer from the joint-venture plant they are building in Lordstown, Ohio, the sources said on Wednesday. The battery will be for the Cadillac Lyriq electric crossover vehicle that GM will begin building at its nearby Spring Hill assembly plant next year, the sources said. The timing of the Tennessee battery plant's opening is unclear, but there will be a period when the battery is supplied for the Lyriq by another LG facility until the Tennessee plant opens and it will not come from Lordstown, one of the sources said. GM would not confirm the details and declined further comment, and a spokesman for LG did not have an immediate comment. A Tennessee economic development spokeswoman also declined to comment. The No. 1 U.S. automaker previously said it was exploring the feasibility of another U.S. battery cell plant with LG's battery unit, LG Energy Solution, via its Ultium Cells LLC joint venture. Sources previously told Reuters that GM and LG Chem were in advanced talks with Tennessee officials, and that the plant there would be similar in scope to the $2.3 billion Lordstown plant. GM said in October it would invest $2 billion in Spring Hill to build EVs. The Detroit automaker said last year it was investing $27 billion in electric and autonomous vehicles over the next five years. Sources previously said GM would need more battery plants beyond the Tennessee one to meet aggressive EV targets. GM has set a target in January of halting sales of light-duty gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles by 2035. LG Energy said last month it planned to invest more than $4.5 billion in U.S. battery production over the next four years, including plans to build at least two new plants. LG had been embroiled in a high-profile dispute with rival South Korean firm SK Innovation in the United States after LG alleged SK stole trade secrets, but the companies settled that and other disputes with SK agreeing to pay $1.8 billion to LG. (Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington and Ben Klayman in Detroit; Editing by Matthew Lewis) Related Video:

2021 Cadillac CT4 Review | A joy to drive, a puzzle to compare

Cadillac's smallest sedan is arguably its most competitive. The question is, though, what does the 2021 Cadillac CT4 actually compete with? It has the price tag and interior in keeping with the growing number of sub-compact luxury sedans, yet its rear-drive layout and sophisticated chassis are more akin to sedans that are a size up. It sure drives more like a BMW 3 Series than something smaller and cheaper. Actually, it could easily be argued that the CT4 is a more rewarding sport sedan than BMW's benchmark – be it the Premium Luxury you see above or spicier CT4-V trim.  That's where the comparison ends, however. The CT4 is smaller, with a cramped back seat and rinky-dink trunk. Its cabin quality is lower and its engines less refined. Yet, it is sufficiently cheaper to justify all of the above. For the dwindling few who still prize communicative steering and an unflappable suspension in their entry-level luxury sedan, the CT4 is a terrific choice – no matter what you compare it to. What's new for 2021? The CT4 was all-new last year, so there are only minor updates for '21. A 12-inch HD instrument cluster is now available as part of the Technology package in top trim levels, while Cadillac's Super Cruise semi-autonomous driver assist system will be a late-availability option. Wirelessly connected Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now standard. There's also a new Diamond Sky Special Edition that adds a unique color scheme and trim finishes.  What's the CT4 interior and in-car technology like? We've criticized the design and quality of other Cadillac interiors, and although the CT4's is awfully similar to those, its lower price and market positioning make it far more competitive and, well, palatable. It may not be as expressive as the Mercedes A- or CLA-classes, but for the money, we don't think you'll be disappointed. The infotainment system is controlled by an 8-inch touchscreen with a pair of redundant control knobs better suited to scrolling through playlists, radio stations or other menu functions. One is adjacent to the screen and volume knob, while the bigger one is on the center console. We like this setup quite a bit and appreciate the Cadillac's system's clean look and quick responses. The base setup includes wirelessly connected Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, plus Amazon Alexa integration and a choice of USB Type-A and Type-C charging.

Weekly Recap: GM scales back as Russian auto market teeters

General Motors' extensive plans to scale back its Russian operations are the latest sign the automotive market in the former superpower is collapsing – and there are few signs of recovery. GM said Wednesday it will stop selling mainstream Chevrolets and shutter the entire Opel brand in Russia. The moves leave GM with a luxury-focused presence consisting of Cadillac and Chevrolet's Corvette, Camaro and Tahoe. The cutbacks will be completed by the end of the year. The automaker will also idle its factory in St. Petersburg and end a contract-assembly agreement with Russian manufacturer GAZ. "We had to take decisive action in Russia to protect our business," Opel Group CEO Karl-Thomas Neumann said in a statement. "We confirm our outlook to return the European business to profitability in 2016 and stick to our long-term goals." GM is the latest automaker to scale back in Russia as the economic conditions, volatile currency and uncertainty over the conflict in the Ukraine all have sandbagged new car sales. Last month, vehicle sales collapsed 38 percent in Russia to 128,298 units, according to the Association of European Business, which records sales. Joerg Schreiber, chairman of the AEB automobile manufacturers committee, didn't even feign optimism in a statement announcing the figures. "The market is entering a very difficult phase now, and February is only the beginning," he said. "Industry sentiment is the next few months will be extremely difficult and the market bottom has yet to be found." The dovetails with industry experts, who predict the Russian auto sector will remain in the doldrums. IHS said earlier this year it expects Russia's sales to slip to just 1.8 million units in 2015, which is a 40-percent drop from 2012. Other News & Notes Chief leads Jeep's Easter Safari stable Jeep is bringing seven attention-getting concepts to Moab for its annual Easter Safari off-roading celebration in Utah, but the Chief is perhaps the standout of the group. It salutes the 1970s Cherokee with a throwback appearance and surfer styling cues. The Chief has a custom modified razor grille made famous by the Wagoneer, and it rolls on 17-inch slotted mag wheels. The surf theme comes in with ocean blue paint, floral cloth and leather seats and a tiki-style shifter handle. Based on the Jeep Wrangler, the Chief has removable sides, a 3.6-liter V6 engine and a six-speed manual gearbox.