Battery-maker Exide Technologies has opened a research lab in Milton, north of Atlanta.

The facility is one of three worldwide Exide locations dedicated to the development of lead-acid batteries for the hybrid auto industry. The other two labs are in Spain and Germany. Milton’s lab would create 40 science and engineering jobs.

Exide’s expansion of operations is connected to the federal stimulus. The company got more than $30 million from the Obama administration last year to aid research and development.

Exide says production of the batteries would spur hundreds of new manufacturing jobs for the company, including 200 for a factory in Columbus.

Tags: Georgia, jobs, Columbus, federal stimulus, Exide Technologies, Milton, hybrid cars, lead-acid batteries