General Motors on Monday launched construction of a new technical center at its China headquarters in Shanghai – a facility that will develop advanced vehicle designs and technologies for China and global markets. 

GM says the GM China Advanced Technical Center will house 62 test labs and nine research labs. It will include four key operations: 

1) The China Science Lab will conduct advanced research into technology that should lead to applications over five to 15 years. This lab, which was launched in 2009, will study lightweight materials, batteries, powertrains, manufacturing and "smart" traffic. 

2) The Vehicle Engineering Lab will localize technology for the Chinese market. The lab will develop electric vehicles, batteries and other alternative powertrains. It will work with GM's Chinese joint ventures. 

3) The Advanced Powertrain Engineering Lab will conduct R&D on  conventional and alternative powertrains for the local market. 

4) The Advanced Design Center will develop vehicles for the local market, and also will support GM's global design centers. 

Construction of the will be completed by the end of 2011. It will employ more than 300 designers, researchers, engineers and technicians.  

GM already operates two technical centers in China, including the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center in Shanghai and the China Automotive Energy Research Center in Beijing.