GM has floated the idea of selling the plug-in hybrid powertrain used in the 2016 Chevrolet Volt (and in the Cadillac CT6 PHEV and Chevy Malibu Hybrid) to other automakers.

“We want to be the partner of choice in propulsion system development in this complex and turbulent era we are approaching,” GM’s global powertrain chief Dan Nicholson told Automotive News (via Green Car Reports). “We have a history of being a good partner.”

Such an arrangement could be a boon to smaller automakers, which will soon need to start producing plug-ins to satisfy tightening emissions standards, but would be hard-pressed to develop their own advanced powertrain technology.

It could also be a big win for GM, helping it to achieve greater economies of scale without having to sell larger volumes of the Volt, something it has so far been unable or unwilling to do.

The Volt’s hybrid powertrain, including the gas engine, electric transaxle and power electronics, fits under the hood of a compact car.

Source: Automotive News, Green Car Reports