WHITE MARSH, Md. — General Motors wants smaller, lighter, more powerful electric motors for its cars and trucks, and the way to get them is to make them, a GM official said Tuesday at the plant where the new motors will be made.

Live from Detroit: Hottest cars of auto show are small, electric and sporty

Hot cars in Detroit: Small, electric and sporty

Ultracheap Nano could come to US in 3 years with $8,000 price tag

Cheap car from India could cost $8,000 in US

China’s BYD, which plans to sell electric e6 in North America this year, may bring more models

Chinese maker of electric car e6 may have more

Cadillac unveils plug-in hybrid XTS concept; calls it ‘personal headquarters’

Cadillac unveils plug-in hybrid luxury concept car

Chrysler hiring, all-electric Volt, GMC Granite unveiled, new Toyota hybrid

Notes from the 2010 Detroit auto show

A roundup of news and notes out of the Detroit auto show on Tuesday:

GM will make electric-only version of Volt by removing engine, adding battery power, exec says

GM will make pure-electric version of Chevy Volt

Honda unveils sporty, 2-seater CR-Z hybrid at Detroit auto show; will go on sale this summer

Honda aims to add flair to hybrid market with CR-Z

Toyota debuts compact-sized hybrid concept car at Detroit auto show, may badge as a Prius

Toyota unveils pint-sized hybrid concept car

Ford Fusion Hybrid wins ‘10 car of year; Ford Transit Connect takes top truck prize

Ford Fusion Hybrid wins 2010 car of year award

Electric Company: small, hybrid and electric cars take spotlight at 2010 Detroit auto show

Smaller, electric cars reign at Detroit auto show

Michigan AG asks US high court to order locks closure to keep carp from invading Great Lakes

Mich AG files suit with Sup Court over Asian carp

Detroit-area Ikea store reopens after sprinkler system goes off without fire, causing flood

Detroit-area Ikea store reopens post-flooding

Federal study finds decade-long drop in number of teens using marijuana stalls

Study: Drop in number of teens using pot stalls

GM now says electric Chevrolet Volt can go 25-50 miles on batteries; old range was 40 miles

3 ultra-fuel-efficient cars win $10 million prize for innovation; 1 winning car gets 102 mpg

Power Struggle: GM, Nissan vying to offer best deal on electric cars later this year

GM to sell gas-electric Volt at higher price than Nissan Leaf, but lease plans cost the same

Chevrolet Volt electric car will carry 8-year, 100,000 mile battery warranty

AP Source: Chevrolet Volt electric car will carry longer battery warranty than usual

Lawmakers want quicker study of cutting Great Lakes-Mississippi River link to block Asian carp

Ghosn says growing demand helps convince Nissan it’s on track with electric Leaf

Detroit nonprofit, Triscuit build new community gardens as part of national urban ag effort

Toyota ropes in loyalists and bargain-hunters, but what will happen without incentives?

Toyota sends US, Canada more devices to read event data recorders in crash investigations

GM to invest $890M in 5 plants to build new V-8 engines, keeping 1,600 jobs

Once a leader in manufacturing, the Motor City looks to urban farming to provide jobs, food

Mich. woman among winners of $150,000 prize for efforts to protect environment from megafarms

Ford and Microsoft announce deal to work with utilities to manage electric-car-charging system

Lincoln to join luxury hybrid market with MKZ on sale this fall

Chrysler to build all-electric version of Fiat 500 for US market in 2012

AP Source: Toyota will cite working backup safety system to cast doubt on Prius driver

Bob Lutz, GM vice chairman and longtime auto industry executive, says he will retire

Ford to fix brake problem with 17,600 Mercury Milan, Ford Fusion hybrids

General Motors Corp. to make its own electric motors starting in 2013

GM will make its own electric motors starting in 2013