General Motors sets up electric vehicle development team

General Motors is stepping up its commitment to making its cars more environmentally friendly by setting up a team dedicated to the development of electric vehicles.

The team will sit within GM’s Advanced Design Centre, which was responsible for the Chevrolet Volt concept car (left) that was unveiled at the North American International Motorshow in January.

The team will develop a variety of vehicles using what GM calls its “E-Flex propulsion system”, starting with the production version of the Volt.

Bob Boniface, the design director of the new team and the Volt, says: “We have handpicked a team of both young and experienced designers who are enthusiastic, eager and believe in the cause as I do. They want to find a better way, a solution to our dependency on petroleum, and that’s what this car [the Volt] is about.”

Earlier this month, it emerged that Mitsubishi is planning to launch an electric version of its “i” city car in the UK (MW December 6). The move is seen as a further step towards the commercialisation of electric vehicles.