Ann Arbor could lead the electric vehicle charge

Arbor is becoming so electric that it could soon shock the automotive world. Get it? Shock. Cuz it’s electric. Man, we just crack ourselves up sometimes.Excerpt:The future complexion of the Ann Arbor region’s electric vehicle technology sector is becoming clearer as the major automakers gear up alternative propulsion operations and startups seek to fill the battery void. The revelation that luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz expects to establish a hybrid technologies research-and-development center in the Ann Arbor region illuminates a key piece of the alternative powertrain puzzle for the southeast Michigan economy. It’s becoming increasingly clear that the world’s major automakers will rely on a mix of their own energy technologies and a range of startup companies rapidly expanding in this space.And the Ann Arbor region – which boasts an unparalleled mix of automotive heritage and university-based scientific expertise – is set to lead the charge on both fronts.”Clearly you’ll see the OEMs take advantage of the fact that 80 percent of the world’s R&D in automotive research is done in the greater Detroit metro area,” said Ann Marie Sastry, a University of Michigan professor and CEO of Ann Arbor-based vehicle battery startup Sakti3. “So you’ll see hopefully that this will continue. Companies will want to locate here, and the definition of automotive engineering is going to expand to cover hybrid electric and other electric vehicle technologies.”Read the rest of the story here and another Ann Arbor electric vehicle story here.