July 10, 2009
In radio address, governor cites green initiatives at GM, Ford, Chrysler
LANSING - In this week's radio address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today said Michigan's auto industry is helping lead a green industrial revolution, and she cited examples from General Motors, Ford and Chrysler. The governor's comments come on the same day the new General Motors company was announced.
"General Motors will invest up to $700 million to build its future small car at its plants in Orion Township and Pontiac, preserving about 1,400 jobs," Granholm said. "GM will reach another milestone when it rolls out its new electric car, the Chevy Volt, next year."
"At Ford, the company was recently awarded almost $6 billion in advanced technology loans by the Obama administration," Granholm continued. "The money will help Ford retool its plants to produce more fuel-efficient vehicles. Ford has also accelerated its development of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids to add to its lineup of traditional hybrids, which run on either gas or electricity."
"Chrysler will have at least one electric vehicle in its model lineup for next year," Granholm said. "The company plans on offering at least three more electric models by 2013."
Granholm said the auto industry's movement to greener vehicles aligns with ongoing state efforts to make Michigan a leader in the new green economy.
"From advanced batteries to electric vehicles to more recycled content in car interiors, the automobile will play a vital role in Michigan's green economy," Granholm said. "Our auto companies are undergoing difficult and often painful restructuring, but their future is bright - and green."
The governor's weekly radio address is released each Friday morning and may be heard on broadcast stations across the state. The address is available on the governor's Web site at (
www.michigan.gov/gov
) for download, together with a clip of the quote above. The radio address is also available as a podcast on the Web site, as well as on iTunes and via RSS feed for general distribution to personal MP3 players and home computers. Links to the audio files and text of today's address follow.
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm
Radio Address - Green Autos
Hello, this is Governor Jennifer Granholm.
With General Motors, Ford and Chrysler seemingly in the news every day, it's hard sometimes to look beyond today's headlines and envision those companies' future. Well, for Michigan's auto companies, the future looks green.
In Michigan, our auto industry is helping us lead a green industrial revolution. Here's just a few examples:
General Motors will invest up to $700 million to build its future small car at its plants in Orion Township and Pontiac, preserving about 1,400 jobs. There was intense competition among the states for these green jobs, but Michigan was the winner. We won because of our amazing workforce, our innovative and creative economic development tools, and strong involvement from the UAW and local communities.
GM will reach another milestone when it rolls out its new electric car, the Chevy Volt, next year. The Volt will run entirely on electricity from a giant battery pack. And to be on the cutting edge of battery research and development, GM last month unveiled its new Global Battery Systems Lab in Warren.
At Ford, the company was recently awarded almost $6 billion in advanced technology loans by the Obama administration. The money will help Ford retool its plants to produce more fuel-efficient vehicles. And in the process, the jobs of thousands of Ford employees - including those at five Ford plants in Michigan - those jobs will be transformed into green engineering and manufacturing jobs. Ford has also accelerated its development of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids to add to its lineup of traditional hybrids, which run on either gas or electricity.
Chrysler will have at least one electric vehicle in its model lineup for next year. The company plans on offering at least three more electric models by 2013. And Chrysler has set a goal to have 50 percent of its vehicles capable of running on alternative fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel by 2012.
So, the auto industry's movement to greener vehicles aligns with our ongoing efforts to make Michigan a leader in the new green economy. For example, backed by $700 million in state incentives - by far the most of any state in the country - we're aggressively working on making Michigan the center for developing and producing advanced batteries for electric vehicles. We want Michigan to be the advanced battery capital of the world.
From advanced batteries to electric vehicles to more recycled content in car interiors, the automobile will play a vital role in Michigan's green economy. Our auto companies are undergoing difficult and often painful restructuring, but their future is bright - and green.
Thank you for listening.
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