BRIEFS - GE, GM in EV project
Published:Sunday | September 25, 2011 | 12:00 AM
- GE, GM in EV project
SHANGHAI (AP):
General Electric and General Motors Company agreed last Thursday on a pilot installation of electric vehicle charging stations in Shanghai, the latest step in the automaker's plan to develop infrastructure in China to support sales of its Chevrolet Volt electric car.
As part of the agreement, GE also agreed to buy the extended range electric cars for use at its corporate campus in Shanghai. GM plans to launch the Volt in December in China, where it has made electric vehicles a core part of its strategy for expansion despite doubts Chinese consumers will snap up such cars.
The companies gave no details about investment in the charging stations, which will include both GE's WattStations and Durastations, two different specifications for charging electric vehicles.
China is a linchpin market for GM. Earlier this week it announced plans for developing a new electric vehicle with its local partner Shanghai Automotive Industrial Corp. It also has just opened an advanced technology centre to support its efforts to build more energy efficient and safer automobiles, with a lab devoted to developing new battery cells for EVs.
BRIEF
- Nissan, Mitsubishi strengthen ties
TOKYO (AP):
Japanese automakers Nissan and Mitsubishi are strengthening their cooperation by expanding the number of models they make for each other in Japan.
Nissan and its smaller rival Mitsubishi have had what is called an original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, deal since December 2010. They manufacture specific vehicle models for each other and sell them under their own brands.
Nissan Motor Co said Thursday it will provide the Fuga luxury sedan to Mitsubishi Motors Corp, starting from summer next year.
They have also started talks on Mitsubishi providing the Minicab-MiEV commercial electric car to Nissan in the fiscal year that begins April 2012.
Such OEM deals are fairly common in the auto industry. They allow companies to cut costs by increasing production scale and to expand their line-up of types of cars they don't want to invest in the development or manufacturing of.
Under an earlier agreement, Nissan, which also makes the Leaf electric car and March subcompact, is providing the NV200 Vanette compact van to Mitsubishi Motors from next month.
They also set up a joint venture called NMKV Co, which began operating in June, to work together on minicars for the Japanese market, which may later include other nations.
Mitsubishi President Osamu Masuko has said he hopes the joint venture will fuse his company's design expertise with Nissan's purchasing power.