Toyota, Ford join in hybrid autos

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nb20110824n1.html

Toyota Motor Corp. and Ford Motor Co. said they will collaborate to develop a hybrid system for light trucks and sport utility vehicles.

The two automakers agreed to a memorandum of understanding that calls for developing the vehicle technology this decade, as well as working together on in-car communications systems and Internet-based services, according to a joint statement Tuesday.

"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," Derrick Kuzak, Ford's product development chief, said in the statement.

Ford is joining forces with Toyota as the U.S. company plans to triple North American production of electric vehicles and hybrids to more than 100,000 models by 2013 as it works to make a quarter of its vehicles run at least partly on electricity. Ford now has three hybrid models and sells about 35,000 gasoline-electric autos annually.

This should have been done years ago, but still even late it is better than not being done.