| General Motors Corp (GM) chairman Richard | | | | |
| Wagoner has reportedly told shareholders at | | | | "Increasing fuel efficiency can |
| the company's annual meeting recently that GM | | | | simultaneously reduce our reliance on Middle |
| is serious about speeding up development of | | | | Eastern oil, cut greenhouse emissions, save |
| the new technology needed for the electrified | | | | quality auto industry jobs and help build the |
| Chevrolet Volt. GM has previously announced | | | | US economy," Solo said citing surveys of |
| building the Chevrolet Volt in 2010. The | | | | potential voters that show 75 percent favor |
| concept version of the car features a maximum | | | | tougher emissions standards. |
| range with a full tank of gas and charged | | | | |
| batteries of 640 miles. The Volt's gas motor | | | | Mark Cooper, director of research at the |
| never drives the wheels directly, but instead | | | | Consumer Federation of America, said the |
| provides power to the electric motors. | | | | fuel-efficiency target proposed by the |
| | | | domestic carmakers and Japanese rival Toyota |
| However, later during that day after the | | | | was 30 percent too low. |
| shareholders' meeting Wagoner was in | | | | |
| Washington along with top executives Alan | | | | Detroit's automakers, however, remain |
| Mulally and Tom LaSorda from the Ford Motor | | | | dependent on sales of gas-guzzling pickup |
| Co and Chrysler Corp respectively, arguing | | | | trucks and large sport utility vehicles (SUV) |
| against tougher new fuel economy standards | | | | - sales of which are slipping as consumers |
| pending in Congress. | | | | react to rising gasoline prices. Sales of |
| | | | small cars on the other hand, continue to |
| "As Detroit's Big Three and Toyota launch an | | | | increase. |
| astonishingly short-sighted advertising and | | | | |
| lobbying campaign to block even modest | | | | GM's Wagoner appeared to be gearing up for |
| improvements in vehicle fuel efficiency, it | | | | the trend, announcing at the annual |
| is time for Washington and Detroit to address | | | | shareholders meeting on Tuesday the award of |
| the fact that our nation is needlessly losing | | | | two contracts for advanced development of |
| the race to develop the best fuel-efficient | | | | lithium-ion batteries for its new Chevy Volt |
| vehicle technology," said Pam Solo of the | | | | - which was introduced as a concept car at |
| Washington-based Civil Institute. | | | | the Detroit automobile show in January. |