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 The group is similar to one formed by Chrysler LLC in September as automakers race to develop battery and hydrogen fuel cell technology to power cars and trucks.
The team, to be led by Robert Kruse, executive director of vehicle engineering for hybrids and electric vehicles, will have operations in Warren and Milford, as well as Mainz-Kastel, Germany, and Shanghai, China.
Jim Queen, GM's group vice president of global engineering, said the team will focus on technical development of hybrid and extended-range electric vehicles.
"We can accelerate these programs and get them into production quickly and efficiently," he said in a statement.
Before the change, engineers working on next-generation hybrid vehicles reported to the chief engineer for their vehicles. Now they will report to Kruse and share expertise, said GM spokeswoman Sherrie Childers Arb.
"The onus for the advanced propulsion is now on this team," she said.
The 400-member engineering team will work on global vehicles, as well as GM's efforts to meet new European carbon dioxide emissions regulations.
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 Toyota Motor Corp. has dominated the gas-electric hybrid market with its Prius and Camry hybrids, but GM now has five hybrid models on the market and promises to have eight by the end of this year.
Last year GM opened a studio at its Warren Technical Center to work exclusively on electric vehicles.
The company has said it has a target of 2010 to bring the Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle to market. The Volt will be designed so it can be plugged in to a home outlet to recharge the battery pack, giving the electric motor a range of about 40 miles. The motor would then kick in and recharge the battery pack, extending its range.
In September, Chrysler announced the formation of ENVI, a new part of the company responsible for developing electric vehicles and other advanced propulsion technologies.
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On the Net:
General Motors Corp.: http://www.gm.com/
Chrysler LLC: http://www.chrysler.com/
[Associated Press; By NATE JENKINS]
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
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