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General Motors geared up to play a big role in meeting US goal of hybrid vehicles
General Motors Corporation says it will do the “heavy lifting” to help achieve the grand goal set by United States President Barack Obama of having 1 million plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles on the US roads by 2015. Major US-based makers of automobiles, including General Motors, have been planning an array of electric-drive vehicles aimed at meeting higher fuel-economy standards and also an expected rise in the demand for more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Chevy Volt
General Motors is launching its rechargeable Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid vehicle by the end of 2010. It plans to build a total of 14 hybrid models by 2012.
According to a top executive of General Motors, in order to meet the US federal government’s goal of having 1 million plug-in hybrid cars within 6 years, there has to be an increased supply of batteries. Five or more battery manufacturers will be needed to make the sufficient number of batteries for 1 million plug-in hybrid vehicles.
General Motors has designed the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid to carry a lithium-ion battery with an all-electric driving range of 40 miles. For longer trips, a small gasoline engine will power the battery. The Chevy Volt is likely to cost around $40,000. However, federal tax incentives could help make the car available to consumers at about $32,500.
General Motors says that the costliest component in the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid is its 400-pound (181-kilogram) battery pack.
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