General Motors India has started a new new flexi-engine facility today at Talegaon near Pune.The company has invested $230 in this new facility.
The new engine plant will produce engines for small passenger cars manufactured by GM in India. This is GM’s first power train plant in the world that enables both petrol and diesel engines to be manufactured simultaneously.
Speaking on this occasion,Karl Slym president and MD, General Motors, said, "This is the first plant of GM which has both petrol and diesel flexibilities. It has capacity of producing 1.6 lakh units in first phase and will increase production up to 3 lakh into second phase. The opening of our new facility will enable our company to become more competitive and keep up with the growing demand for our vehicles. GM India’s sales have grown significantly since we began rolling out our mini-cars, the Chevrolet Spark and Beat, at our Talegaon plant about two years back."
GM will export these engines to the Asian countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Slym added, "We have long-term plans for India. As far as localisation is concerned, we have increased the percentage.Only high tech pieces are imported. Only Tavera is 100 per cent localised. We have localised up to 60 per cent of the Beat and with the engine we should be able to add another 25 per cent Our new cars will have a very high local content as Indian suppliers move up."
The company has plans to showcase an electric car in India by April 2011. GM is hiring around 500 people for their R & D facility in Bangalore and more than 700 people are working for power train plant in Pune.
According to Slym, GM India has achieved significant growth of 76 per cent which is above average growth of the sector.
