On National Battery Day, a look back at GM’s battery tech legacy

2025-02-18

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By George Cintra, director, battery research and development, General Motors

A GM employee works on a battery charging and storage system in 1928.
A GM employee works on a battery charging and storage system in 1928.

General Motors has been at the forefront of automotive technology innovation for more than a century, dating back to Charles Kettering’s creation of the GM research and development organization in 1920, a group he ran for 27 years.

GM has a particularly strong history in battery technology. It’s been a story of continuous innovation, with engineers and researchers making steady advancements to unlock new possibilities for electrification. National Battery Day – recognized annually on February 18 – offers a perfect time to look back on GM’s storied history of battery and electrification innovation. Here are some of my favorite highlights that you’ll see in the timeline and video below:

GM has been developing pioneering battery technology for more than a century. (Click the image to zoom into the timeline.)
  • Charles Kettering’s invention of the electric starter, powered by lead-acid batteries.
  • Advanced technologies and engineering that backed NASA’s Apollo program battery-powered lunar rover vehicles.
  • A range of iconic EVs and their battery innovations, from the experimental Electrovair with its silver-zinc pack, to the groundbreaking EV1 with its lead-acid and nickel-metal-hydride batteries, and today’s modern vehicles powered by lithium-ion technology.
  • Some of our cutting-edge battery facilities, like our Battery Systems Lab that opened in 2009 and our joint-venture Ultium Cells plant in Ohio where we recently celebrated the 100-millionth cell made at the facility.

Expect to see more battery advancements from GM in the years ahead.