General Motors engineered a winner in regards to the 2016 Chevrolet Volt. The 2016 Volt not only won the Green Car of the Year award, but Wards also listed the 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine and 18.4-kWh battery pack Voltec powertrain combo as one of the 10Best engines for 2016.
EPA estimations peg the 2016 Volt at 106 MPGe and 53 miles of pure electric cruising. So, how does GM get more consumers into its technology? Possibly by sharing its engineering secrets.
According to Automotive News, GM may eventually share its second-generation Voltec powertrain with rival automakers. The benefits could be huge for automakers. The automaker sourcing the technology could skip the major investment into its own plug-in hybrid technology, and GM could begin scaling down the price of the technology through larger economies of scale.
However, don’t expect this to occur overnight. Autoblog has reached out for comment on the matter, and GM spokesperson Kevin Kelley stated he was “not aware of anything going on” in regards to negotiations with other automakers.
Comments
Although hybrid collaboration is likely a necessary evil to defray development costs I hope it does not come to this.
GM has created a real competitive advantage with it’s investment in the Voltec powertrain and by just selling or licensing the technology it would negate that advantage.
My suggestion is to spread Voltec throughout the GM lineup as much as possible.
Agreed, jamdown. I would love to see this spread to the new R body triplets (Traverse, Acadia, Enclave). Talk about a competitive advantage!
General Motors plans on using technology from the Chevy Volt for their next generation hybrid vehicles as this is why Cadillac’s ELR was expendable because Cadillac could build a ATS Hybrid for less and get similar efficiency; but as far as sharing this technology goes.. General Motors should charge a heavy licensing fee.
This sharing comment was aimed at FCA given the new plans for Chrysler and Dodge.
Too bad GM didn’t grab Mazda before Toyota seeing as both companies have great technology to swap.
This is about helping other automakers meet the minimum-requirement sales for electric cars, undercutting someone going to Toyota to just rebadge Prius.
Which ironically was almost what happened with GM and NUMMI.
Well you have to also consider the technology you know about is also the old technology. By the time someone else gets this technology GM will be moving into the next gen.
Things will change fast as GM is working normally 2 gens ahead. As they change they can sell this technology and still keep a little in reserve.
The fact is there is a limited number of cars they can use this in right now. The range will take a hit in anything heavy or of large profile. Also there are only so many buyers at GM at this point at this price.
This a good idea how to get a return on this product. Also I am sure it will be like the sharing with transmission with Ford and pretty much unseen by public.
I’d prefer to see Voltec spread across more GM vehicles in all divisions first. I have really been hoping for a CUV with Voltec. Trax/Encore and or Equinox/Terrain/Envision would be great. It has already been reported that Cadillac CT6 will have a plug-in version.