General Motors currently sources some components for its hybrid electric vehicles from outside vendors, but the Detroit automaker plans to move all its green car technology in-house to save money and boost performance.
General Motors already uses its own control systems for its hybrid vehicles, but plans to produce its own electric motors in the future. The switch to a proprietary, in-house electric motor should allow GM to increase performance, cut weight and lower overall power consumption, according to Automotive News.
GM’s first in-house electric motors should bow in the company’s next-generation two-mode hybrid systems. GM currently employs its two-mode system in its full-size trucks and SUVs, with a smaller Buick crossover set to use the technology by 2011.
Although GM’s new focus will be on producing electric motors, it will also continue work on battery technology and control systems. “We’ve taken all three of these and said these are core technologies for General Motors,†product development chief Tom Stephens told Automotive News. “We’ve brought them inside and said we are going to have people dedicated to learning more about these three components.”
Stephens added that GM will soon be building an electric motor factory – thanks in large part to a grant from the Department of Energy – but failed to mention where or when the plant might open.
