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July 23, 2010
This Week:
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GM China Breaks Ground for
Advanced Technical Center in Shanghai
Shanghai – As part of the
completion of its corporate campus, which opened in 2009,
General Motors broke ground this morning for the GM China
Advanced Technical Center.
The new facility, which will be
adjacent to the GM China International Operations and GM China
Headquarters in Shanghai, will develop advanced vehicle designs
and technology solutions for GM on a domestic and global basis.
It will be part of GM’s global engineering and design network,
and support GM’s vision to design, build and sell the world’s
best vehicles.
“As an integral element of our
global product development strategy, the GM China Advanced
Technical Center will create advanced technologies and lead GM's
global research in targeted areas,” said Kevin Wale, President
and Managing Director of the GM China Group. “We expect it to
become one of GM’s most important and comprehensive technical
and design facilities worldwide.”
The GM China Advanced Technical
Center will include 62 test labs and nine research labs. It will
be home to four key research and design organizations:
The China Science Lab, which was
launched in 2009, is engaged in research and technology
development that should lead to applications over five to 15
years. Its focus is on advanced propulsion system research,
manufacturing process research, megacity smart traffic research,
customer-driven advanced vehicle development, battery cell
material and fabrication research, and lightweight material
research.
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The Vehicle Engineering Lab will localize technology
for the Chinese market. It will carry out the testing and
development of electric vehicles, research on alternative energy
vehicles, research and development of battery technology in
conjunction with Chinese suppliers, and product development
featuring advanced technology and design solutions with GM’s
domestic joint ventures.
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The Advanced Powertrain Engineering Lab
will carry out research and development work on advanced
propulsion systems, including electrification technology,
alternatives to petroleum-based fuels in conventional
powertrains, and unique conventional powertrains for the local
market, as well as development and testing of new materials for
powertrain products. The Advanced Design Center will play a
significant role supporting GM’s global design resources, with a
focus on meeting local needs. Its world-class capability will
include a digital visualization center and secure indoor and
outdoor viewing/exhibition areas. It will gather and analyze
information on automotive, fashion and other design trends in
the Chinese and regional markets to support vehicle development.
Construction of the GM China
Advanced Technical Center will be completed by the end of 2011.
Within five years, it is expected to have more than 300
employees, including designers, researchers, engineers and
technicians. The new facility will complement GM’s engineering
and product development partnerships in China, including the Pan
Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC) in Shanghai and the
China Automotive Energy Research Center (CAERC) in Beijing.
According to Wale, “As a global
technology leader and the global industry leader in China, GM is
committed to working with the Chinese government, industry
partners and the academic community in the development of
tomorrow’s vehicles. By joining forces, we can accelerate the
arrival of sustainable transportation and remove the motor
vehicle from the environmental equation.”
(July 21, 2010)
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