GM to hire 1,000 to boost electric vehicle efforts

[DainBramaged]

General Motors said Tuesday it plans to hire 1,000 electric-vehicle engineers and researchers over the next two years as it prepares to deliver the first Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric cars next month.
Volt production started early this month, as reported by the Free Press. GM plans to keep the first Volt off the line to display in its Heritage Center in Sterling Heights. The company will auction off the second Volt, with proceeds to benefit math and science education at Detroit Public Schools, GM said in a news release ahead of a planned announcement by North American President Mark Reuss at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck plant.

GM first announced development of the Volt in 2007, following the urging of former Vice Chairman Bob Lutz to create a car that would help GM's image as the Prius had done for Toyota. The Volt gets 25 to 50 miles of range from its battery pack before switching to power from a gasoline generator.

GM plans to build 10,000 Volts by the end of 2011 and at least 45,000 in 2012. Initially, the Volt will sell in California, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Austin, Texas. Next spring, those markets will expand to include Michigan, New Jersey, Connecticut and the rest of New York and Texas. Within a year and a half, GM plans to sell the Volt nationwide.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2010-11-30-volt_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Some good news, finally, on the job front...

[DainBramaged]

2. And it's GM that's hiring, not the transplants

American jobs in America!

[leftstreet]

3. Hmm. Engineers

Wonder if GM takes part in the H1-B visa program

:shrug:

[DainBramaged]

7. To answer your question

http://www.myvisajobs.com/Visa-Sponsor/General-Motors/214289.htm


Since 2001, General Motors Corporation has filed 1529 H1B Visa petitions(Labor Condition Application), 112 Green Card petitions(Labor Certification by regular process, RIR or PERM). Among them, 21 H1B Visa petitions 1 PERM petitions have been denied.

[leftstreet]

9. Thanks for that link

Interesting!

[DainBramaged]

10. From my understanding, most of those people were brought in to train

for posts in their home country's GM plants.

[Lasher]

4. I agree with Peggy, this is good news about the jobs.

But how many of these jobs be on US soil?

I think there might be a Volt in my future sometime. Our old Pontiac is starting to have maintenance problems more often. But if Volts are too sluggish here in the hilly West Virginia terrain, then probably not. Guess I need to read up on them.

[DainBramaged]

6. The battery plant for the Volt is in Michigan

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/07/gm-battery-factory/


And engineering will be located there.




General Motors plans to open a $43 million battery factory near Detroit to build batteries for the Chevrolet Volt using cells the automaker is buying from Korea.

It’s another big investment in fuel efficient vehicles for G.M. The company opened a $25 million battery R&D laboratory last month and promised to spend as much as $800 million retooling its Orion Township plant to build a new small car. The battery plant in Brownstown Township, Mich., is a key part of its plan to build cleaner, greener vehicles, according to The Detroit News.

The News, citing “sources familiar with the negotiations,” said Brownstown Township promised G.M. a 50 percent tax break on new machinery and equipment for 12 years, a deal that could be worth several million. The state already approved $167 million in tax credits if G.M. builds the plant in Michigan.

The plant will sit on a 375-acre site in an industrial park near two airports, where the lithium-ion cells would arrive from Korea. The cells will be assembled into the 400-pound T-shaped pack that will power the Volt, then sent up Interstate 75 to the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant where the range-extended electric car will be built.

[Lasher]

15. OK thanks.

I was thinking some of these jobs could still be outsourced. But GM is saying they will be located in the US, more specifically in Michigan:

GM said Tuesday it plans to add 1,000 engineering and research jobs at Michigan locations over the next two years as it looks to expand development of electric vehicles and hybrids.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704679204575646832313851668.html

Michigan in particular needs good news like this. This reminds me of the 1970s here in West Virginia, when so many coal mining jobs evaporated due to mechanization. As most of the rest of the country recovered from recession, Nixon called us 'remaining pockets' that needn't be worried about. This gives me reason to hope that Michigan won't be left to suffer a similar fate.

[NuclearDem]

5. K&R

Just in time for me to do some job hunting in the auto industry ;)

[Union Scribe]

8. Awesome.

Bob Lutz is a strange one. On one hand, he's a total car genius. On the other, he denies global warming, yet spearheaded the move for one of the best green cars ever. Whatever, though, this is great news.

[blondeatlast]

11. Great news! Those jobs will likely expand into many more jobs, and so on... nt

[daa]

12. I still haven't figured out who buys a 41 grand

electric car?

[DainBramaged]

13. We have nine allocated to us between January and April

all nine (as of Friday) are now sold. We are the ONLY dealer in our county certified for Volt repairs.

[daa]

14. Daimler CEO: Electric Cars Are Overhyped

"In 10 years' time, the overall market share of electric cars is likely to be still in the single-digit percentage range," Mr. Zetsche said during a Daimler event in Stuttgart, according to a prepared statement. "In principle it's similar to President Obama—first, expectations are being raised externally and then people are surprised they don't get fulfilled. From today's perspective it's already clear we won't earn high returns with electric cars in the years to come. And that's the optimistic wording."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703848204575608230602308648.html

[DainBramaged]

16. Mr. Zetsche selling taxis in the US as wunderwagens

Do you honestly think what he says means shit to the rest of the automotive industry worldwide? China will LEAD in electric vehicle production by 2020 because THEY understand what the finite reserves of petroleum mean to growth.

[daa]

19. And your 9 pregnant rollerskates

that won't even go to the mall and back mean shit????

That thing won't even merge on the freeways here in Atlanta.

[DainBramaged]

21. So you're obviously against the Volt. Meh.

You have no idea what you are talking about. 0-60 in around 8 eight

EIGHT

seconds. More than fast enough.

[daa]

22. Dup

[daa]

23. It will get crushed in Atlanta

and you have to charge it up every couple miles. No I am not for stupid, government subsidized productsd from Government Motors.

[DainBramaged]

24. You are what you are calling yourself

The Volt has a built in gas powered motor that uses a generator to charge the battery or provide power to drive the car. And from your replies, I don't think I will be responding further.


Progressives don't call it Government Motors.

[Lasher]

17. After tax incentives the price is supposed to be in the lower '30s.

But let's not forget about a proper charging station for $490. Installation could drive that cost up to as much as $2,000.

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2010/10/pricing-chevrolet-volt-home-charger-to-cost-490-to-2000.html

[DainBramaged]

18. Here in NJ around $28,000 after everything including sales tax

This is a second car for the people buying it. The first 4400 charging stations iare free including installation.

Amended.

[Lasher]

20. Woah, $28K is getting into the neighborhood.

Thanks, good thread.

:thumbsup: