Ford Motor Co. is boosting production for the second time this quarter — an action in sharp contrast to the factory shutdowns taking place at its bankrupt cross-town rivals.

But General Motors Corp.’s bankruptcy filing, which will eliminate much of that company’s debt, also creates new challenges for the Dearborn automaker, particularly with the financing of its vehicles.
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Honda’s global production in 2008 rose to a record high with booming demand in China offsetting sluggish sales in the United States and Europe, while worldwide output by Toyota slumped for the first time in seven years.

Japan’s No. 2 automaker said Wednesday it rolled out a record 3.96 million vehicles, up 1.2 percent year-on-year.
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Gov. Jennifer Granholm and lawmakers hope generous tax incentives will help make Michigan the center of efforts to research and manufacture advanced batteries used in hybrid and electric vehicles.

Legislators say the United States today has no large-scale production plant for the lithium-ion battery, the technology General Motors Corp. expects to power its touted Chevrolet Volt. Most battery technology is being developed in Asia.
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