Ford Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. will bring their research and development forces together to accelerate the creation of a hybrid vehicle system for trucks and SUVs.
The partnership is also likely to help the companies meet U.S. fuel economy standards quicker than operating alone.
Ford and Toyota said they've been working individually on rear-wheel-drive hybrid systems, but the two companies started looking at combining their efforts earlier this tear after initial discussions between Ford CEO Alan Mulally and Toyota President Akio Toyoda in an airport lobby.
"The point of collaborating is to deliver better technology that is more affordable and accessible for our customers," said Nancy Gioia, Ford's global director of electrification. "Both Ford and Toyota have extensive HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) knowledge and capabilities. By collaborating together, we bring the expertise together along with shared investment and scale to develop a customer focused system at the best possible costs.".
This isn't the first time the two companies were involved in hybrids together. In 2004, when Ford was making its first foray into hybrids, it licensed some of Toyota's patents on gasoline-electric hybrid engine systems.
The new partnership still has some kinks to work out, namely who is doing what research, and a formal agreement is planned for next year. The companies expect a hybrid system developed by the partnership to be in vehicles later in the late 2010s.
This is a blog supporting discussion surrounding the EDIN (Energy Development in Island Nations) USVI (United States Virgin Islands) EEWG (Energy Efficiency Working Group). We welcome Virgin Island residents, businesses, government officials, utilities, and relevant consultants and commerical interests to participate. We are in the process of introducing the "VIenergize" campaign; energizing the Virgin Islands' pursuit of reduced fossil fuel consumption.
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