GM CEO Rick Wagoner has made a slew of announcements surrounding the technology in the 2011
Chevy Volt. Seems yawn-inducing, right? You're wrong. * As we mentioned in yesterday's coverage on the Cadillac Converj Concept, the system which has had the development name "E-Flex" has been changed over to "Voltec"
* Design development and production of advanced battery technologies will be a core competency for GM going forward.
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Voltec T-Pack battery for the Volt will be built in the United States, it'll be the first major battery plant in the United States. Current plan is the locate the plant somewhere here in Michigan, but it's currently still in negotiations with suppliers and the Michigan Goverment
* LG Chem has been selected as the battery cell supplier for the Volt's battery pack.
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GM will open the largest battery lab in the US later this year, clocking in around 31,000 square feet, intended to accelerate battery technology development. Current plans, subject to negotiations the facility will be in Michigan.
* GM is planning to bulk up it's battery engineering staff, hiring up to 200 new engineers in the coming year.
* GM will cultivate relationships with battery suppliers like A123 Systems and Hitachi, as well as integrators like Cobasys.
* GM is forming a partnership with University of Michigan for a new lab at their Ann Arbor campus, as well as a new course curriculum associated with it.
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