GM’s vaunted Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid Powertrain technology may eventually end up being used by rival automakers according to recent reports.
GM’s global powertrain chief Dan Nicholson recently revealed, in an interview with Automotive News, that he would be open to partnerships with other companies that would allow the use of the award-winning powertrain from the second-generation Chevrolet Volt.
“We want to be the partner of choice in propulsion system development in this complex and turbulent era we are approaching,” is the way he worded it in the interview.
Autoblog provides more:
For an automaker that wants an electrified solution, the Volt’s system would be an easy choice. It combines a 1.5-liter four-cylinder with two electric motors and an 18.4-kWh lithium-ion battery. The EPA estimates the setup is good for 106 MPGe combined and 53 miles of EV range in the Volt. Wards selected the powertrain for its 10 Best Engines list for 2016, and the Chevy won the Green Car of the Year Award.
According to Automotive News, a partnership could have serious financial implications for GM and its collaborator. Rival automakers could get a competitive powertrain without the huge expense of research and development. Meanwhile, The General would benefit from larger economies of scale to drive down prices.
A GM rep by the name of Kevin Kelley seemingly shot all this speculation down though, noting that he was “not aware of anything going on.” That said, a number of recent announcements from other automakers do make you wonder.
(Tip of the hat to “rhodomel” on the GM Volt forum for this.)