GM China Breaks Ground for Advanced Technical Center in Shanghai; Advanced Propulsion Research, Electric and Alt-Energy Vehicles, New Materials
19 July 2010
GM China broke ground for the GM China Advanced Technical Center. The new facility, which will be adjacent to the GM China International Operations and GM China Headquarters in Shanghai, will develop advanced vehicle designs and technology solutions for GM on a domestic and global basis.
Part of GM’s global engineering and design network, the GM China Advanced Technical Center will include 62 test labs and nine research labs. It will be home to four key research and design organizations:
The China Science Lab, which was launched in 2009, is engaged in research and technology development that should lead to applications over five to 15 years. Its focus is on advanced propulsion system research, manufacturing process research, megacity smart traffic research, customer-driven advanced vehicle development, battery cell material and fabrication research, and lightweight material research.
The Vehicle Engineering Lab will localize technology for the Chinese market. It will carry out the testing and development of electric vehicles, research on alternative energy vehicles, research and development of battery technology in conjunction with Chinese suppliers, and product development featuring advanced technology and design solutions with GM’s domestic joint ventures.
The Advanced Powertrain Engineering Lab will carry out research and development work on advanced propulsion systems, including electrification technology, alternatives to petroleum-based fuels in conventional powertrains, and unique conventional powertrains for the local market, as well as development and testing of new materials for powertrain products.
The Advanced Design Center will play a significant role supporting GM’s global design resources, with a focus on meeting local needs. Its world-class capability will include a digital visualization center and secure indoor and outdoor viewing/exhibition areas. It will gather and analyze information on automotive, fashion and other design trends in the Chinese and regional markets to support vehicle development.
As an integral element of our global product development strategy, the GM China Advanced Technical Center will create advanced technologies and lead GM’s global research in targeted areas. We expect it to become one of GM’s most important and comprehensive technical and design facilities worldwide.
—Kevin Wale, President and Managing Director of the GM China Group.
Construction of the GM China Advanced Technical Center will be completed by the end of 2011. Within five years, it is expected to have more than 300 employees, including designers, researchers, engineers and technicians. The new facility will complement GM’s engineering and product development partnerships in China, including the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC) in Shanghai and the China Automotive Energy Research Center (CAERC) in Beijing.
GM already has a massive technical center in Warren, Michigan, that has been there for decades and is undergoing / finished a major upgrade. I've driven past it before - it's like a college campus. Why reinvent the wheel & build another technical center? Apparently its for research in "targeted areas" in China. This could be either be to refine products to better fit Chinese tastes and/or to figure out how to stop "overbuilding" vehicles and better meet Chinese communist rules and regulations & design the Chinese vehicles to last until the warranties run out (then start falling apart).
Posted by: ejj | 19 July 2010 at 08:01 PM
http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=42.51402242127405~-83.03516051766638&lvl=15&sty=h&sp=Point.r2k4fk82d5s4_GM%20Technical%20Center____&where1=Warren%2C%20MI
Posted by: ejj | 19 July 2010 at 08:07 PM
The "Center will be completed by the end of 2011. Within five years, it is expected to have more than 300 employees"
Wow. 300.
Posted by: ToppaTom | 20 July 2010 at 06:37 AM
They interviewed a guy from the Coda car company and he said his batteries were from China, because that is where they are made in volume. For years Japanese car makers have had design studios on the west coast. You want to go where the action is to make a good product for that region.
Posted by: SJC | 20 July 2010 at 10:26 AM