Ford and Toyota both confirm their cooperative plans to produce hybrid tech have been sacked

Ford Motor Company and Toyota Motor Company both released press releases in tandem with one another to confirm that any of their plans to collaborate on hybrid technology have been sacked.

According to previous rumors, Ford and Toyota were going to coproduce an all-new hybrid system designed for applications in light trucks, SUVs and crossovers. The plans were initially announced in August of 2011.

Ford said that they will continue research and developing their own “world-class hybrids” in-house, while Toyota will be doing the same.

For full details on both press releases, check them out after the jump.

Toyota Issues Statement regarding Ongoing Collaboration with Ford and Reaffirms Its Commitment to Hybrids


Toyota and Ford have completed their feasibility study for collaboration on the development of a new hybrid system for light trucks and SUVs, which was first announced in August of 2011. As a result, we have agreed to develop hybrid systems individually. Toyota and Ford continue to evaluate the feasibility of working together on next-generation standards for telematics and will consider other areas for future collaboration as well.

Toyota’s commitment to hybrid technology is unwavering. We have sold over two million Toyota and Lexus hybrid vehicles in the U.S., representing 70 percent of the U.S. auto industry’s total hybrid sales, and over 5 million hybrids worldwide. In addition, Toyota remains on track to offer 18 new or redesigned hybrid models globally by the end of 2015.

All told, Toyota estimates that its global fleet of nearly 20 hybrid vehicles (12 available in the United States) has resulted in approximately 34 million fewer tons of CO2 emissions than those emitted by gasoline-powered vehicles, and have saved their owners more than 3 billion gallons of gasoline.

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Rear-wheel-drive hybrid for trucks and SUVs on track

After successfully completing the feasibility and development of the hybrid system project with Toyota, Ford is moving forward on its own with development of a rear-wheel-drive hybrid system for Ford pickups and SUVs.

The new hybrid system – which will be available by the end of this decade – will be based on an all-new architecture to deliver the capability truck and SUV customers demand while providing greater fuel economy.

“We know what it takes to build world-class hybrids, and we now will build and leverage that expertise in-house,” said Raj Nair, group vice president, global product development. “By continuing to develop a rear-wheel-drive hybrid system on our own, we can extend our advanced hybrid technologies to new vehicle segments and deliver even better fuel economy across our lineup.”

While collaboration on the rear-wheel-drive hybrid has concluded, Ford and Toyota will continue to work together on development of next-generation standards for in-car telematics, back-end support systems for call centers and Internet-based services – all designed to bring more Internet-based information to consumers globally.

– By: Chris Chin

 

Chris Chin

Chris Chin is the Editor-In-Chief of egmCarTech and is a regular contributor to Automobile Magazine.

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