GM Hiring 1K To Work On Hybrid, Electric Cars

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DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Co said on Tuesday it would hire 1,000 engineers and researchers in Michigan over the next two years to develop more electric cars and hybrids as it launched its battery-powered Chevrolet Volt.

"Volt clearly demonstrates that we are well on our way and it is especially true when it comes to the electrification of the automobile," GM Chief Executive Dan Akerson said at a ceremony marking the imminent shipping of the plug-in hybrid.

The Volt, which tops the Toyota Prius for fuel economy, is a first-of-its-kind vehicle that GM has touted as a symbol of its commitment to pushing for gains in fuel efficiency and developing new technology.

Akerson drove on stage in the first commercially made Volt for the event at the assembly plant that builds the car, three years after GM announced the closely watched project.

Akerson said GM wanted to be in the forefront of new vehicle technology -- starting with the development of powerful battery packs and electric motors -- that promises to reduce oil consumption.

The Volt is designed to run for 35 miles on a full charge of its 400-pound lithium-ion battery pack supplied by a unit of Korea's LG Chem. After that, a 1.4-liter engine extends the driving range to about 379 miles.

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