General Electric has been building hybrids for many years. Its Evolution Series of locomotives are some of the most efficient currently on the market, and the giant company has plans for a replacement model using its own batteries soon. Also planned by GE is a move into the large truck market, where diesel hybrids are expected to become increasingly popular in the coming years. With all of this research and development already done for hybrid systems and the growing interest in the technology in the auto realm, Chrysler is looking to tap into some of that knowledge for an upcoming project for a “dual-battery energy storage system.”

Though we’re not entirely sure what this technology entails, we just reported that GE and Chrysler have gotten a bit of funding from the Department of Energy for further developments of the system. Considering the deep pockets that GE has, Chrysler seems wise to partner up with them, and the auto company already has ties to the energy conglomerate, as current Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli has served as a GE executive in the past. We anxious to see what “good things” this tie-in can bring to life.

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While some automakers are already promising to have plug-in hyrbids on the road by 2010, the US Department of Energy is now pouring some cash into a slightly less ambitious joint effort with Ford, General Motors, and General Electric, which would see plug-ins capable of driving 40 miles on a single charge roll out by 2014. Under the new effort, General Motors will be tasked with improving lithium-Ion battery packs and charging systems, and integrating them into its own research with a test fleet by 2011, while Ford will be aiming to speed up the mass-production of plug-in hybrids, as well as improve its batteries and build prototype vehicles. Rounding things out, General Electric will be partnering with Chrysler to develop a dual-battery system, which promises to let vehicles travel 40 miles on a charge. All of that is still subject to appropriations by Congress, however, and the aforementioned companies would obviously be pouring in a good chunk of change themselves, as a mere $30 million isn’t exactly quite enough to shake up the auto sector these days.

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