GM, SAIC to develop electric vehicle architecture in China
20 Sep 2011
General Motors (GM) and SAIC Motor, China's largest auto maker by sales, today signed an agreement to jointly develop new electric vehicle architecture in China.
GM and SAIC will design the cars and develop components for them at an existing design joint venture, the Shanghai-based Pan Asia Technical Automotive Centre (PATAC).
GM said that the agreement will leverage SAIC's market knowledge and local expertise along with GM's expertise in electric vehicle development and global know-how. It will ensure local input in the development of electric vehicle technology and the delivery of products developed in China.
Under the agreement, teams of engineers from SAIC, GM and PATAC will work together to develop key components, as well as vehicle structures and architectures.
Vehicles resulting from the partnership will be sold in China under Shanghai GM and SAIC brands. SAIC and GM will also use the architecture to build electric vehicles around the globe for their own purposes.
SAIC and GM are partners in 10 joint ventures in China, which are engaged in vehicle and powertrain manufacturing, sales and aftersales, automotive engineering and design, automotive finance and telematics, and the sale of used vehicles.