General Motors is planning ahead, and two years before its plug-in cars are scheduled to be launched, the automaker joined 30 utility companies and the Electric Research Power Institute in discussing the infrastructure necessary to deal with electricity issues to come.

More details on the partnership are expected to be unveiled on Tuesday, during the Plug-In 2008 Conference and Exposition held at San Jose Convention Center in California from July 22 to July 24. The conference will be the first of its kind to focus exclusively on plug-in hybrid technology.

Automotive manufacturers, component suppliers, electric utilities, as well as government agencies and the environmental community will all take part in an initiative that establishes the premises for the future of plug-in hybrid technology.

In late 2010, GM plans to roll out its Chevrolet Volt, the first concept car to use the GM E-Flex Propulsion system, which makes the idea of driving a vehicle capable of running on electricity and charging from ordinary 110-volt household outlets closer to reality.

“This vehicle is real. It’s coming into production,” said Britta Gross, GM’s manager of hydrogen and electric infrastructure commercialization, as quoted by the Associated Press, showcasing that they want to have an infrastructure in place when the car hits the showrooms and is ready for sale.

One of the issues addressed during the three-day international conference will be choosing the most appropriate time for recharging car batteries without overwhelming the network during peak hours, as well as establishing the basis of a nation-wide infrastructure for drivers traveling away from home.

GM’s Chevy Volt concept allows drivers to use electrical powers for 40 miles a day without recharching. When the electric battery needs to be recharged, the E-Flex Drive System kicks in and recharges the lithium ion battery pack.

A well thought electrical grid is absolutely critical if plug-in car developers want consumers to turn to these electrical vehicles. The conference will focus on everything from consumer education, to tax incentives and the impact on the electric grid.