By Jenn McKeogh, senior manager, GM News
By Jenn McKeogh, senior manager, GM News
Innovations in battery technology are at the core of the General Motors journey to an all-electric future. Today, the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV offers an EPA-estimated 492 miles of range1 (or more than 1000 miles in the right conditions) and 350 kW fast charging, while the 2026 GMC HUMMER EV Carbon Fiber Edition Pickup offers acceleration on par with some sports cars, launching from 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds3. And in the coming years, we aim to be the first in the world to offer EVs with more affordable lithium manganese rich prismatic battery cells.
But how does this cutting-edge battery tech go from an idea at a startup to powering a GM vehicle?
That’s where Fang Dai comes in. As a lab group manager in battery research and development, Dai and his team help turn innovative battery ideas into scalable production technology.
Dai isn’t new to the world of research. His passion for science dates back decades, long before his GM journey kicked off in 2013. Born and raised in Tianjin, China—about 80 miles southeast of Beijing—Dai explored his love of chemistry as a student at Nankai University.
“I spent most of the first 20 years of my life in Tainjin, and got my Bachelor of Science and master’s degree in chemistry all in the same city where I grew up,” says Dai.
But he took a different approach for his next degree. In 2006, Dai enrolled in the University of Delaware to pursue a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry, finishing in 2012.
“My doctorate is in a totally different area than battery science,” says Dai. “It’s very challenging - and it can even be painful – to achieve a fundamental understanding of chemical reaction mechanisms. But I knew I could bring a perspective outside of the typical way of thinking when I switched my research to battery materials for my postdoc work.”
CAPTION: Dai uses a pouch sealing machine to check the effective sealing length of the pouch cell, a process that is part of how his team evaluates battery technology.
In 2013, Dai spotted an opening for a contractor position at GM for candidates with background in silicon anode research. At the time, GM had a small project focused in that area - and Dai came on to perform development work.
One year later, GM hired him directly into a salaried role doing something slightly different: advanced battery component research and development, such as sulfur battery and Li-metal technology.
Today, Dai leads a lab that carries cutting-edge studies and developments in EV battery chemistry. His team serves as the connection point for research institutes and battery tech startups who pitch emerging battery technology to GM’s engineering teams.
Dai’s team summarizes the research and validation of new tech, translates into GM’s “engineering language” and passes it along to internal teams to consider how – and whether - to develop new technologies at scale.
CAPTION: Battery researchers Yifan Zhao (left) and Nathaniel Hardin (right) work on a lab-scale roll-to-roll electrode coating machine in one of GM's research labs.
“We’re the bridge that connects these outside novel battery technology developments to GM,” explains Dai. “When startups come to GM, they’re often still at the lab stage, and engineering can’t just take that and scale it. First, it comes to us – we give the technology a professional analysis, integrate our insights, and pass it along to engineering.”
But in addition to evaluating and validating technologies, materials, and samples from startups and research labs, Dai and his team actively conduct internal studies and development efforts. These efforts help not only enhance GM's understanding of advanced battery technologies, but also build deep technical know-how to keep our leading role in the industry.
The work of Dai and his team is vital to GM’s future. By engaging with outside innovators early and investigating their projects for potential commercial adoption, the battery R&D team can save GM time and money.
“We’re always looking to prioritize EV safety and affordability, to enable faster charging, and to offer better features for customers,” says Dai. “Internal combustion engines have over 100 years of testing history, but the first commercial Li-ion batteries were only released about 34 years ago. There’s so much more to discover for the benefit of GM and our customers.”
CAPTION: Yifan Zhao uses a glove box to check a pouch cell before moving to the electrolyte filing process
So, why did Dai choose GM instead of seeking out a startup?
“As any researcher will tell you, lab capability is vital,” says Dai. “GM has not only great facilities, equipment, and technical teams, but we also have support from leadership to design, experiment and do our research and analysis. That’s so important.”
There’s more to Dai’s life than battery research. He loves spending time with his two school-age kids, reading tech news, and collecting ping-pong memorabilia.
“I’m really into collecting ping-pong items, but I’m not actually very good at playing it,” says Dai. “But I’m also really interested in what sports equipment is made of.”
Dai says he loves to investigate the composition of regular items – like the carbon fibers used in tennis rackets and hockey sticks, or Kevlar fibers used in ping-pong blades. In fact, it helps him bring new ideas into work.
“It’s fascinating to me how everything connects and how materials have so many uses. Even when I look at glue my son uses for his robotics team – I get inspiration from that.”
Maybe for Dai, life is all about research. As he puts it, “To me, technology is art”
On the job highlights the unique and innovative roles of employees across GM, from the unusual to the unexpected. If you have someone to nominate for this series, drop us a line at news@gm.com.
Check out more from the series:
1 EPA-estimated.. Actual range may vary based on several factors, including ambient temperature, terrain, battery age and condition, loading, and how you use and maintain your vehicle.
2 GM-estimated. On a closed course only. Based on initial vehicle movement.
Innovations in battery technology are at the core of the General Motors journey to an all-electric future. Today, the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV offers an EPA-estimated 492 miles of range1 (or more than 1000 miles in the right conditions) and 350 kW fast charging, while the 2026 GMC HUMMER EV Carbon Fiber Edition Pickup offers acceleration on par with some sports cars, launching from 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds3. And in the coming years, we aim to be the first in the world to offer EVs with more affordable lithium manganese rich prismatic battery cells.
But how does this cutting-edge battery tech go from an idea at a startup to powering a GM vehicle?
That’s where Fang Dai comes in. As a lab group manager in battery research and development, Dai and his team help turn innovative battery ideas into scalable production technology.
Dai isn’t new to the world of research. His passion for science dates back decades, long before his GM journey kicked off in 2013. Born and raised in Tianjin, China—about 80 miles southeast of Beijing—Dai explored his love of chemistry as a student at Nankai University.
“I spent most of the first 20 years of my life in Tainjin, and got my Bachelor of Science and master’s degree in chemistry all in the same city where I grew up,” says Dai.
But he took a different approach for his next degree. In 2006, Dai enrolled in the University of Delaware to pursue a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry, finishing in 2012.
“My doctorate is in a totally different area than battery science,” says Dai. “It’s very challenging - and it can even be painful – to achieve a fundamental understanding of chemical reaction mechanisms. But I knew I could bring a perspective outside of the typical way of thinking when I switched my research to battery materials for my postdoc work.”
In 2013, Dai spotted an opening for a contractor position at GM for candidates with background in silicon anode research. At the time, GM had a small project focused in that area - and Dai came on to perform development work.
One year later, GM hired him directly into a salaried role doing something slightly different: advanced battery component research and development, such as sulfur battery and Li-metal technology.
Today, Dai leads a lab that carries cutting-edge studies and developments in EV battery chemistry. His team serves as the connection point for research institutes and battery tech startups who pitch emerging battery technology to GM’s engineering teams.
Dai’s team summarizes the research and validation of new tech, translates into GM’s “engineering language” and passes it along to internal teams to consider how – and whether - to develop new technologies at scale.
“We’re the bridge that connects these outside novel battery technology developments to GM,” explains Dai. “When startups come to GM, they’re often still at the lab stage, and engineering can’t just take that and scale it. First, it comes to us – we give the technology a professional analysis, integrate our insights, and pass it along to engineering.”
But in addition to evaluating and validating technologies, materials, and samples from startups and research labs, Dai and his team actively conduct internal studies and development efforts. These efforts help not only enhance GM's understanding of advanced battery technologies, but also build deep technical know-how to keep our leading role in the industry.
The work of Dai and his team is vital to GM’s future. By engaging with outside innovators early and investigating their projects for potential commercial adoption, the battery R&D team can save GM time and money.
“We’re always looking to prioritize EV safety and affordability, to enable faster charging, and to offer better features for customers,” says Dai. “Internal combustion engines have over 100 years of testing history, but the first commercial Li-ion batteries were only released about 34 years ago. There’s so much more to discover for the benefit of GM and our customers.”
So, why did Dai choose GM instead of seeking out a startup?
“As any researcher will tell you, lab capability is vital,” says Dai. “GM has not only great facilities, equipment, and technical teams, but we also have support from leadership to design, experiment and do our research and analysis. That’s so important.”
There’s more to Dai’s life than battery research. He loves spending time with his two school-age kids, reading tech news, and collecting table tennis memorabilia.
“I’m really into collecting table tennis items, but I’m not actually very good at playing it,” says Dai. “But I’m also really interested in what sports equipment is made of.”
Dai says he loves to investigate the composition of regular items – like the carbon fibers used in tennis rackets and hockey sticks, or Kevlar fibers used in table tennis blades. In fact, it helps him bring new ideas into work.
“It’s fascinating to me how everything connects and how materials have so many uses. Even when I look at glue my son uses for his robotics team – I get inspiration from that.”
Maybe for Dai, life is all about research. As he puts it, “To me, technology is art”
On the job highlights the unique and innovative roles of employees across GM, from the unusual to the unexpected. If you have someone to nominate for this series, drop us a line at news@gm.com.
Check out more from the series:
- On the job: Aaron Pfau, GM vehicle performance integration manager
- On the job: Nick Irish, GM analytical battery chemist
1EPA-estimated. Actual range may vary based on several factors, including ambient temperature, terrain, battery age and condition, loading, and how you use and maintain your vehicle.
2GM-estimated. On a closed course only. Based on initial vehicle movement.