BRIEFS - Hertz, GE partner in auto venture

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  Hertz, GE partner in auto venture

SHANGHAI (AP):

Rental car company Hertz Global Holdings and General Electric plan to partner in offering electric vehicles in China and expanding the charging networks needed to run them.

An agreement signed in Shanghai's 'Auto City' of Anting on Wednesday calls for building hundreds of charging stations in major Chinese cities including Shanghai and Beijing, Hertz executives said.

The plan aligns with the government's effort to promote commercialisation of new energy vehicles as a way to reduce oil imports and help curb pollution. Setting up the infrastructure to charge such vehicles is viewed as a key hurdle toward enticing consumers to switch from cars that run on gasolene or diesel to electric vehicles.

"Working with our existing rental-car network in China and partners such as GE, we are dedicated to helping build the necessary EV infrastructure in China and to create a new transportation solution that employs the latest technology and harnesses innovations being launched in China today," said Mark P. Frissora, Hertz's chairman and CEO.

Saab delays salary payments again

STOCKHOLM (AP):

Ailing Swedish car maker, Saab, has delayed salary payments to its staff for the third month in a row as it continues to struggle to fund its operations.

Saab spokeswoman Gunilla Gustavs said Thursday it is unclear when payroll is expected to run smoothly again, but it will be done "as soon as we have short-term funding solutions in place."

Saab's financial difficulties - due to hefty debts and dwindling sales - have left the company's Trollhattan-based plant in southwestern Sweden idle for months. Salaries were also delayed in June and July, but have now been paid.

Although the company has been criticised for hiking board member remunerations amid the crisis, Gustavs says the board hasn't received any compensation since early 2010. 

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  KIG fetes kids

KINGSTON:

Kingston Industrial Garage (KIG) hosted 75 children at their Spanish Town Road-based headquarters recently.

The children, between age six and 15, were part of the Washington Gardens Seventh-day Adventist Church summer programme and are from the communities of Maverley and Drewsland in St Andrew.

According to the group, KIG was selected as a place of "historical and educational interest".

The dealership has been in operation since January 15, 1908 and is the authorised dealer for Ford and Subaru brands and Yamaha motorcycles in Jamaica.

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  GM, LG team on electric cars

DETROIT (AP):

General Motors Co and Korean battery maker LG Group said last Thursday they will jointly design and engineer electric vehicles under a new agreement.

LG already supplies lithium-ion batteries for the Chevrolet Volt and Opel Ampera, which are electric cars with small back-up gas engines. LG also supplied the batteries for a test fleet of electric Chevrolet Cruze small cars. Under the new agreement, engineers from both companies will work together on parts as well as vehicle structures and designs.

The agreement doesn't affect another pact GM signed earlier this month with A123 Systems Inc to produce batteries for future electric vehicles.

"Many solutions for tomorrow's transportation needs may be available more quickly by building on our partnership strategy," GM Vice-Chairman Steve Girsky said in a statement.