General Motors plans to import batteries from China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) for its second-generation Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle, despite the high tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.
The Wall Street Journal reports that General Motors has announced that it will source batteries for its upcoming second-generation Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle from China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL). This decision comes despite the steep tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on Chinese imports, which currently stand at around 80 percent for EV batteries.
GM’s decision to import batteries from CATL is a temporary measure until the automaker and its Korean partner, LG Energy Solution, can ramp up their own manufacturing of lower-cost lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries in the United States. The new Bolt is scheduled to begin production at GM’s Fairfax Assembly Plant in Kansas later this year and is expected to reach dealerships in 2026 as the company’s most affordable electric vehicle.