GM Opens Battery Lab in Warren

General Motors is opening the biggest battery laboratory in the nation locally in Warren, and it could be the key to transforming Michigan's economy.

CEO Fritz Henderson and Governor Jennifer Granholm rode in a battery powered Volt to celebrate the opening of GM's new battery lab. The research at the Global Battery Systems lab is aimed at accelerating the testing of new energy storage systems to be used to power plug in electric vehicles.

The governor found her cruise smooth. "When she stepped on the accelerator, you noticed that... the low end torque and acceleration characteristics of the vehicle are just superb," said Henderson.

This lab and the battery technology it is aimed at developing are important components in the quest to diversify Michigan's economy.

"We've got more R&D here. We've got tremendous talent here. We have incentives that are second to none in terms of the state. We want to get our share of the federal stimulus dollar, but having a whole sector devoted to batteries means jobs and that's really important to us, too," said Granholm.

GM is working with the University of Michigan on a specialized curriculum to nurture automotive battery engineers.

"We want to educate as many students in this area as possible. ... We want to make sure that we're standing step after next," said Dr. Ann Marie Shastry, director of energy engineering at U of M.

The new battery lab opens just one week after GM declared bankruptcy. The company hopes the technology developed here will be key to the automakers reinvention.

"This is a really momentous occasion for General Motors and for Southeast Michigan. The lab itself is going to be quite something to see. It's becoming very important to have automakers become very familiar with the technologies beyond just internal combustion engines. This will go a long way towards helping GM do that," said Aaron Bragman of IHS Global Insight.