Ford Motor Company and Toyota Motor Corporation are to collaborate on the development of an advanced new hybrid system for light truck and SUV customers.
The world’s two leading manufacturers of hybrid vehicles have signed a memorandum of understanding on the product development collaboration, with the formal agreement expected by next year.
Both companies have been working independently on their own future-generation rear-wheel drive hybrid systems. They have now committed to collaborate as equal partners on a new hybrid powertrain to deliver greater fuel efficiency without compromising performance.
Ford and Toyota believe that their collaboration will allow them to bring these hybrid technologies to customers sooner and more affordably than either company could have accomplished alone.
“This agreement brings together the capability of two global leaders in hybrid vehicles and hybrid technology to develop a better solution more quickly and affordably for our customers,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. “Ford achieved a breakthrough with the Ford Fusion Hybrid, and we intend to do this again for a new group of truck and SUV buyers – customers we know very well.”
Takeshi Uchiyamada, Toyota executive vice president, Research & Development, said: “In 1997, we launched the first-generation Prius, the world’s first mass-produced gasoline-electric hybrid. Since then, we have sold about 3.3 million hybrid vehicles. We expect to create exciting technologies that benefit society with Ford – and we can do so through the experience the two companies have in hybrid technology.”
The new co-developed hybrid system will be used by each company independently in its own rear-wheel-drive light trucks later this decade.
“By working together, we will be able to serve our customers with the very best affordable, advanced powertrains, delivering even better fuel economy,” said Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally. “This is the kind of collaborative effort that is required to address the big global challenges of energy independence and environmental sustainability.”
Toyota President Akio Toyoda added: “Toyota is extremely proud to join Ford in developing a hybrid system for pickup trucks and SUVs. Not only is this tie-up clearly one aimed at making automobiles ever better, it should also become an important building block for future mobility in the US. By building a global, long-term relationship with Ford, our desire is to be able to continue to provide people in America automobiles that exceed their expectations.”
The two industry leaders have also agreed to work together to complement each company’s existing telematics platform standards, helping to bring more Internet-based services and useful information to consumers globally.
