General Motors on Thursday said it was considering building a second battery cell factory in the United States with South Korean partner LG, as the American auto giant shifts towards producing electric vehicles.

GM and LG "are exploring the feasibility of constructing a second, state of the art battery cell manufacturing plant in the United States," a GM spokeswoman told AFP.

"We hope to have a decision on the potential project in the first half of 2021."

General Motors recently announced it would stop selling most of its diesel or gasoline cars by 2035, and last year unveiled its Ultium battery joint venture with LG, which it plans to use in future electric vehicles.

General Motors
The General Motors logo is pictured. AFP / JEFF KOWALSKY

The manufacturer plans to offer 30 electric vehicles by 2025, in the company's four brands Cadillac, GMC, Chevrolet, Buick. It also plans to invest a total of $27 billion in electric and autonomous vehicles over five years.

The new plant could be located in the state of Tennessee, according to The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the announcement.

GM and LG already are constructing a $2.3 billion battery cell plant in Lordstown, Ohio that is expected to be completed next year.

President Joe Biden's administration considers electric vehicle batteries essential, and last month he signed an executive order scrutinizing supply chains to reduce US dependence on foreign countries for components.