General Motors confirms it will assemble Volt battery packs at new southeast Michigan factory

GM to assemble Volt battery packs in Brownstown

DETROIT — General Motors Co. has confirmed it will assemble battery packs for its new rechargeable electric car at a new factory in southeastern Michigan.

Company President and CEO Fritz Henderson has called a news conference for Thursday at the plant site in Brownstown Township, 20 miles southwest of Detroit.

GM says in a statement the factory “will produce the lithium ion battery packs for GM’s future extended-range electrical vehicles, including the Chevrolet Volt.”

South Korea’s LG Chem Ltd. is making the batteries.

Two people briefed on the project said last month GM will invest $43 million and employ about 100 people at the plant. They requested anonymity because GM hadn’t made an official announcement.

Associated Press reporters Ken Thomas in Washington and Tom Krisher in Detroit contributed to this story.