GM aims to become first US auto major in electric vehicles
27 Jan 2010
The new transformed General Motors (GM) is steering away from fuel guzzling cars and sees itself becoming the first major US automaker to design and manufacture electric motors by expanding its in-house electric vehicle development capabilities.
It will expand its in-house electric vehicle development capabilities by becoming the first major US automaker to design and manufacture electric motors, a core technology for hybrids and electric vehicles, GM said in a statement.
It said that it had been building its in-house capability for years, expanding electric motor research and development, design and validation capabilities at facilities in Michigan, Indiana and California.
The Detroit-based automaker also has developed state-of-the-art math-based design and computing capacity for electric motors. The electric motors will be manufactured in the US at a GM facility.
Although the automaker did not disclose the facility, experts deduce that the carmakers transmission plant in White Marsh, Maryland would be the likely manufacturing plant.
The project will be funded from the $105 million grant given by the US Department of Energy in August for the construction of manufacturing electric motors and related electric drive components.
