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American drivers may be one step closer to getting behind the wheel of an electric car. In an effort to expand battery research and expedite the introduction of electrically driven vehicles, General Motors announced the opening of The Global Battery Systems Lab.

The state-of-the-art facility is the size of seven basketball courts and is the largest in the United States. Capable of testing all current battery systems, the lab will speed the development of hybrid, plug-in and extended-range electric vehicles, including the Chevrolet Volt. In fact, more than half of the lab is dedicated to testing the electrochemical battery cells and their enclosures.

A team of more than 1,000 engineers will work on energy alternatives and advanced technologies that reduce dependence on petroleum, improve fuel economy and reduce emissions; putting cleaner, more efficient cars on the road more quickly and affordably.

Produced for General Motors