At the new technical center near Shanghai, GM and its Chinese partners are jointly developing new cars based on GM components, including such high-tech elements as electric-car batteries, dual-clutch transmissions and lightweight materials.

WSJ: Edward Niedermeyer: Welcome to General Tso's Motors

Luther Perkins and his electric guitar playing are also indispensable elements of what makes this an amazing song.

NPR: Johnny Cash's 'Big River'

It sells vehicle charging stations, circuit protection equipment and transformers that are key elements of the infrastructure needed to support electric vehicles.

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That's why many economists embrace intelligent infrastructure spending on roads, bridges, schools, electric grids and rural Internet access as effective stimulus elements.

WSJ: What It Would Take for Stimulus to Work

Besides being used for hi-tech gadgets, the elements are also crucial for manufacturing low-carbon resources such as wind turbines, solar panels and electric cars, said David Danielson, the US assistant secretary for renewable energy.

BBC: US to build $120m rare earth research institute