General Motors says it will plow $246 million into a Baltimore transmission factory to make electric motors for its next-generation hybrids in 2013.
GM said it will hire about 200 workers at the plant, which already makes transmissions for GM’s full-size truck hybrids, such as the Chevrolet Tahoe and Cadillac Escalade SUVs.
A grant of $105 million from the Department of Energy is included in the total.
The electrification of vehicles is coming fast, says Tom Stephens, the automaker’s vice chairman in charge of GM products worldwide. Even though plenty of suppliers make batteries and motors, Stephens said in a briefing with journalists Monday, “When I was growing up, I spent my summers on the farm. Whenever you want something done right, I was taught, do it yourself; be self-sufficient. ”
He said most automakers wouldn’t consider letting an outsider make their gasoline engines, and GM is regarding electric motors with the same proprietary interest. But, he said, GM will buy some motors from others. Developing the expertise to make its own motors will make GM adept at picking the best suppliers when it needs to buy from outsiders, Stephens said.
The new-design GM electric motors will be smaller than those used in the company’s full-size truck hybrids. That means they’ll be able to fit a variety of smaller vehicles.
Source: usatoday.com
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