General Motors Co. is investing $246 million in electric motor and electric drive manufacturing for hybrid/electric vehicles. The plan includes constructing an electric drive production facility at GM’s Baltimore Transmission plant, which the company says will make it the first major OEM in the U.S. to produce electric motors.

GM tests electric motor for hybrids

By controlling design, materials selection and production processes, GM says it can lower costs and improve performance, quality, reliability and manufacturability of the electric motors. However, the company says it will continue to buy some motors from existing external suppliers.

The new internally produced motors will be used in GM’s next-generation rear-drive, two-mode hybrid vehicles, starting with full-sized trucks due in 2013. Applications for rear-drive cars also are expected.

GM says the new system is about 25% smaller but 20% more powerful than the motor used in the current-generation two-mode hybrid.

GM currently offers its two-mode hybrid system, which it co-developed with BMW and the former DaimlerChrysler, in the Chevrolet Tahoe SUV and Silverado pickup. Those vehicles have a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fuel economy rating of 21 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway.

As the name implies, a two-mode hybrid features two small electric motors instead of one in traditional hybrid-electric architectures. The design optimizes both city and highway mileage, whereas most hybrids focus solely on city driving.

GM says it has been developing electric motor technology for seven years. The new laminated steel system will include copper wire, insulation systems, cooling technology, magnets, precision bearings and mounting.

Of the $246 million being invested, some $105 million comes from a grant last August from the U.S. Department of Energy. In addition to Michigan, GM is expanding electric motor research and development, design and validation capabilities at facilities in Indiana and California.

Spyker Cars NV and General Motors Co. reached a binding agreement under which the Dutch sports car maker will buy GM’s Saab unit. The deal ends GM’s efforts to wind down the Swedish brand.

Expected to be completed by Feb. 15, the deal will create a new company called Saab Spyker Automobiles NV.

Spyker will pay GM $74 million in cash—-$50 million by Feb. 15 and the rest by July 15—for the nameplate. The Swedish government also has agreed to guarantee a European Investment Bank loan valued at about $563.5 million. GM will get $326 million worth of stock in the new company.

Spyker plans to use Saab to share product development costs and enter new markets. GM also will supply Spyker with built-up 9-4X crossovers and some engineering support over the next several years.

Norwegian electric vehicle maker Think Global AS says a new quick-charge system developed by AeroVironment Inc. will allow the tiny Think city vehicle to recharge its battery pack to 80% of capacity in just 15 minutes. This sets a new benchmark for recharging time, according to the company.

California-based AeroVironment is developing a similar system for Nissan Motor Co.’s upcoming Leaf EV. The quick charge unit for that application is expected to take about 26 minutes.

Earlier this month Think announced plans to open a manufacturing plant in Elkhart County, Ind., to produce vehicles for the North American market. The facility will have an annual capacity of 20,000 units when it begins operation next year.

Think currently outsources European production to Metso Corp.’s Valmet Automotive unit in Finland. Valmet also builds the Porsche Boxster and Cayman models on a contract basis in Finland.

General Motors Co. has reassigned sourcing for the convertible top for the upcoming Chevrolet Camaro to Canada’s Magna International Inc., Automotive News reports.

The newspaper says the decision was made late last year after the originally intended supplier, Germany’s Edscha AG, filed for bankruptcy. Rival Webasto AG acquired Edscha’s assets last year.

Magna’s Top Systems group will build the Camaro top at its Bowling Green, Ky., plant. Fabric will be sourced from Magna’s Mexican operations. The change in suppliers likely will push back the launch of the drop-top Camaro from early next year until the second half of 2011, AN says.

Magna previously supplied convertible tops for GM’s Cadillac XLR roadster, Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky. Those programs have been canceled due to lagging sales and GM’s decision to kill its Pontiac and Saturn brands.

Toyota Motor Corp. has instructed U.S. dealers to temporarily stop selling eight models that were recalled last week due to sticking accelerator pedals. The company also has halted production of those vehicles at plants in Indiana, Kentucky, Texas and Canada until it determines how to fix the problem.

Media reports say Toyota most likely will have to replace the accelerator pedal, which would be expensive and time consuming.

The vehicles being recalled are the 2005-2010 Avalon, certain 2007-2010 Camry, 2009-2010 Corolla and 2009-2010 Matrix cars; the 2010 Highlander, 2009-2010 RAV4 and 2008-2010 Sequoia SUVs; and the 2007-2010 Tundra.

All but 600,000 of the vehicles also were part of an unrelated campaign launched last September. That recall involves 4.3 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles with accelerator pedals that could become jammed againt the floor mat. Toyota is installing redesigned floormats, changing the shape of the accelerator pedal, installing a brake override system and, in some cases, modifying the floor pan under the foot pedals.