GM Baltimore Plant Adds Solar Energy to Electric Car Production
Three Chevy Spark EVs parked outside the Baltimore Complex
General Motors’ Baltimore Complex is striving to go green, both in what GM is manufacturing there and in how the company is powering the plant.
Not only is the Spark EV’s electric motor and drive unit being manufactured at the Baltimore Complex, but the complex has just recently added a solar array to its roof, in addition to a larger solar array already on the grounds.
The arrays trap the sun’s rays to generate energy, which is either used to charge cars at the facility or sent to an internal storage system that is able to support the electric grid.
The Spark EV is a fully electric urban car that has an 82-mile range and a fuel economy equivalent (the distance traveled per energy unit in comparison with traditional vehicles’ miles per gallon) of 119 miles. In places with the infrastructure to support periodic charging, such as Maryland, the emission-free Spark EV can cover plenty of ground without leaving a carbon footprint.
A hotbed of electric-vehicle charging, there are more than 700 public charging stations in the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area.
“We believe the future is electric, and strive to ensure our manufacturing process reflects the clean efficiency of these vehicles,” said Baltimore plant manager Bill Tiger. “We’re always looking for better ways to power our future.”
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