GM To Offer Pluggable Hybrid Battery

General Motors earlier awarded contracts to two suppliers to design and test lithium-ion batteries to be used in the upcoming Saturn Vue Green Line plug-in hybrid SUV. The first contract was awarded to Johnson Controls - Saft Advanced Power Solutions LLC, a joint venture between Tier 1 automotive supplier Johnson Controls and Saft. The other agreement was awarded to Cobasys, based in Orion, Mich.the companies will be challenged to prove the durability, reliability and potential cost at mass volumes of their technology. "Thanks to critical relationships with the U.S. government, collaborative research with Ford and DaimlerChrysler under the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC), significant progress has been made in battery research," said Gray.

GM is determined to retain its title as the largest automaker around the globe. To defend the title further, it will be actively look for more partners that will alleviate its standing. Taking lithium-ion technology to production is one of the significant endeavors that GM is concentrating on.

"These two agreements are by no means the only avenues we're pursuing," Gray said. "We are fully committed to forging the necessary partnerships to produce battery solutions that will meet our aggressive vehicle program targets."

"But a lot of testing and development is still needed., a joint venture between Chevron Technology Ventures and Energy Conversion Devices.
At present, the automaker is developing a 2-mode hybrid system with DaimlerChrysler and BMW Group. Said system will be used in front-, rear- and four-wheel drive applications in a portfolio of car and truck models. It is set to make its debut late this year in the Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon Hybrid SUVs. GM, founded in 1908, employs about 326,999 people worldwide. With global headquarters at the Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan, USA, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33 countries. GM brands include Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall.