More and more, auto show stars go electric

A record number of electric cars are making their debut at this year’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and some of them wouldn’t have been possible without cost-sharing programs between automakers and the US Department of Energy (DOE).

The program is aimed at finding new, more affordable ways to design and manufacture electric motors and to help bring down the cost of electric cars.

Working with the DOE, for example, General Motors has boosted its ability to build electric and hybrid motors in house. That’s made it possible for it to develop the Chevy Spark EV, which is set to hit the US market this summer (first-generation models have already hit the road in Europe).

While generating a publicity buzz at auto shows is good for spreading awareness about plug-in vehicles, better affordability is needed to get more people to actually buy an EV. And one of the keys to building a less expensive electric car is to find ways to lower the cost of the motors that drive them.

In one project, the DOE has worked with Delphi Automotive Systems to try and use semiconductor packaging technology to reduce motor weights and costs. Delphi was also able to expand its production capacity for power electronics for electric-drive cars through $89.3 million in federal stimulus funds.

In similar projects, the DOE has helped Magna E-Car, Ford and GM — maker of the soon-to-be-released Spark — to expand their manufacturing capacities for the electric-car market.