Hybrid Car Review

GM will invest $246 million in a new production facility at the Baltimore Transmission plant. It will be used to manufacture the electric motors used in GM's Two-mode Hybrid system for 2013.

GM expects the investment in the Baltimore plant will create 200 jobs. That will double the number of people employed at the plant.

"By designing and manufacturing electric motors in-house, we can more efficiently use energy from batteries as they evolve, potentially reducing cost and weight," GM Vice Chairman Tom Stephens said.

GM is taking advantage of local and state incentives, plus the Recovery Act funding available from the Dept of Energy. GM expects the incentives to help retain or create 1700 jobs. The grant money from the DOE is about $105 million.

"Electric motors are the engines of the future," Stephens said. "By designing and manufacturing electric motors in-house at Baltimore Transmission, we can more efficiently control the design, materials and production processes. It will also enable us to lower costs and improve performance, quality, reliability, and manufacturability of the electric motors we use in our vehicles."

Although GM is considering building electric motors in house for a range of electric vehicles, Stevens said GM will buy some motors from others.

GM said it would consider building motors in-house for a broader range of electric vehicles.

GM is also investing some of the money elsewhere:

• In Pontiac, Michigan, $2 million for and electromagnetic computational facility and $26 million for development and validation dynamometer facilities;
• In Indianapolis, $10 million for development and validation dynamometer facilities;
• In Torrance, California, $6 million for characterization and development dynamometer facilities.