DETROIT (AP) -- Eaton Corp. has picked a subsidiary of Korean battery maker LG Chem to supply batteries for gas-electric hybrid power systems that will go into commercial vehicles.
The subsidiary, Compact Power Inc. of Troy, Mich., broke ground on Thursday for a battery factory in Holland, Mich., near Grand Rapids. President Barack Obama attended the ceremony.
Eaton's hybrid and plug-in rechargeable hybrid systems are used by or being developed for commercial trucks made by DAV, Freightliner, Ford, International, Iveco, Kenworth, Mercedes-Benz and Peterbilt, as well as other companies, LG Chem said Thursday.
LG Chem also has contracts to produce batteries for the Chevrolet Volt plug-in rechargeable electric car and the all-electric Ford Focus. The Volt is due in showrooms this November, while the Focus will come out in 2011.
