GM allies with U.S. utility group on electric cars
LOS ANGELES, July 21 (Reuters) - General Motors Corp GM.N on Monday said it is collaborating with an organization representing U.S. utilities to ready the nation's electric infrastructure for the widespread sale of plug-in electric cars, such as the Chevrolet Volt.
The tie-up with the Electric Power Research Institute will address three issues: guaranteeing safe and convenient vehicle charging, consumer outreach and advocating public policies that support plug-in vehicle technologies, GM said.
In an interview, General Motors' manager of hydrogen and electrical infrastructure commercialization, Britta Gross, said utilities would be key to not only raising consumer awareness about plug-in vehicles, but also implementing an infrastructure for public charging stations.
"The issue is going to be how many consumers have plugs in the right places in their garage?," Gross said. "How many people don't even have garages? We have to have a public charging infrastructure put in place and a strategy for that with corporations and municipalities. That's where the utilities are going to be very helpful to us."
The announcement comes as GM prepares to unveil the production version of the all-electric Volt, the most visible symbol of the automaker's attempt to break its association with gas-guzzlers like the Hummer brand it is now looking to sell.
The company is the second major U.S. automaker to announce a collaboration with EPRI, which represents utilities that generate more than 90 percent of the power in the United States. Ford Motor Co (F.N) announced its own partnership with EPRI in March.
Asked whether it made sense for GM to join forces with rival automakers, in addition to utilities, Gross said GM was working on a faster schedule than its rivals because of the Volt's planned 2010 launch.
"We have an actual production program in the works," Gross said. "We need to move through these issues as quickly as we possibly can." (Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
