GM plugs $336 million into Volt production

General Motors Co. will invest $336 million in a Detroit-area plant to produce its heavily anticipated Chevrolet Volt electric car beginning next year, the No. 1 U.S. automaker said Monday.

Assembly of Volt prototype vehicles will begin in the spring at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant, with the regular production scheduled for late 2010, GM said.

The plant currently employees about 1,200 workers, including 1,100 hourly workers represented by the United Auto Workers union.

GM said the investment brings the automaker's combined spending in Michigan related to the Chevy Volt plug-in car to $700 million.

GM is counting on the Volt and other upcoming fuel-efficient vehicles such as the Chevy Cruze small car to revitalize its lineup as it restructures after emerging from bankruptcy in July.

The Volt is designed to run for 40 miles from a single charge of a lithium-ion battery pack. When the battery is depleted, a small combustion engine kicks in to recharge the battery and power the vehicle.

The Volt, set to go on sale in November 2010 in the United States and later in Europe, has attracted intense interest as one of the first rechargeable, battery-powered vehicles set to launch in the United States.