US automotive giant General Motors has handed the hybrid technology car market a massive boost by announcing plan to set up a new $246m facility in Baltimore – the first electric motor manufacturing plant operated by a major car maker in the US.

It’s the first sign that the US is prepared to challenge the traditional powerbase of electric car suppliers in Asian – and with the first GM-designed electric motors expected to roll off the production line in 2013, it could signal a sea change in attitude across the Atlantic.

Along with Detroit’s other iconic carmakers, General Motors has endured a miserable time during the global economic slump and is currently 61% owned by the US government, which helped it emerge from bankruptcy protection in July 2009.

Now, having announced its intention to become a major player in the hybrid technology market, the company appears determined to embrace sustainability as a means of ensuring that the dark days of the past 24 months are not revisited.

The latest move could also have a significant impact on the greening of fleet procurement strategies both in the US and Europe.

“By designing and manufacturing electric motors in-house, we can more efficiently use energy from batteries as they evolve, potentially reducing cost and weight,” GM Vice Chairman Tom Stephens said.

US President Barack Obama is aiming to have 1 million rechargeable or “plug-in” hybrids on America’s highways by 2015.