WP: GM Bets on Hybrids, Factory in Maryland

[DeepModem Mom]

GM Bets on Hybrids, Factory in Maryland
By Sholnn Freeman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, February 2, 2006; Page D01


WHITE MARSH, Md., Feb. 1 -- It's a relatively modest project by auto industry standards -- General Motors Corp. will sink $118 million into its White Marsh transmission plant, adding 87 jobs -- but it was the symbolism of Wednesday's announcement that brought out the automaker's chief executive, the state's governor, a U.S. senator and union leaders.

GM said it would upgrade the plant, which builds automatic transmissions for heavy-duty trucks, to make transmissions for fuel-efficient hybrid truck engines by 2007. GM said it is taking a step toward beating back Japanese competitors and pulling itself out of a deepening financial crisis.

Chairman and chief executive G. Richard Wagoner Jr. called GM's new hybrid system a "leap forward" for the automaker. Richard Shoemaker, the United Auto Workers vice president who oversees GM workers, called the automaker a "real American company." Shoemaker said he was proud of GM's move to build hybrid parts and vehicles in the United States. "It's significant for many reasons -- it strengthens GM's product line and it's another positive step to address growing concern for greater fuel economy," he said.

Wagoner said hybrids and other advanced technologies are key to GM's future. He said GM is also pushing for greater supplies of ethanol to power millions of vehicles already on the road. "We can pull a range of levers rather than trying to find a silver bullet," Wagoner said in a news conference at the plant, northeast of Baltimore.

The White Marsh plant employs about 440 workers, including 372 hourly employees represented by the UAW. General Motors said it will begin production of the new hybrid system at the plant next year for installation in the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon models, two of the fleet's larger sport-utility vehicles. GM said the hybrid models will get about 25 percent better fuel economy than their non-hybrid counterparts. The system will then be put in the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks the following year, GM said....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/01/AR2006020102329.html

[tularetom]

1. Good for them I hope they succeed but

I'm afraid it's 20 fuckin years too late.