UPDATE 1-GM picks water pump supplier for Volt electric car

(Adds details about Volt, battery suppliers)

DETROIT, Oct 20 (Reuters) - General Motors Corp GM.N has chosen Buehler Motor Inc to provide water pumps for the Chevrolet Volt electric car and its other hybrid vehicles, the two companies said on Monday.

Under the contract, Morrisville, North Carolina-based Buehler Motor will supply 12-watt and 50-watt auxiliary water pumps necessary to circulate coolant through the Volt's subsystems.

Last month, GM unveiled the production version of the much-anticipated plug-in car, the centerpiece of the No. 1 U.S. automaker's effort to break its costly association with gasoline-thirsty trucks and SUVs and recharge sagging sales.

GM has pushed hard to develop the Volt in time for it to hit showrooms in November 2010, in what has been billed as a race with Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) to be the first to market with a plug-in car.

The automaker and Buehler have been working together to develop the customized water pump technology since mid-2007, Buehler President Bob Riedford said in a statement.

Separately, GM is also working with two groups for the supply of next-generation lithium-ion batteries that will power the Volt -- Compact Power Inc, a unit of South Korea's LG Chem (051910.KS), and a consortium of Germany's Continental AG (CONG.DE) and U.S.-based A123 Systems.

GM has said it will pick a battery supplier by the end of the year.

GM is designing the Volt to run for 40 miles on a lithium-ion battery pack that can be recharged at a standard electric outlet. The car also includes a gas tank for trips longer than 40 miles. (Reporting by Soyoung Kim, editing by Dave Zimmerman and Maureen Bavdek)