Ford Joining Forces With Toyota to Develop Hybrid Trucks

The eco-awareness seems to take new directions as Ford and Toyota plan to work together on a gas-electric hybrid engine which will power pickup trucks and SUV’s. The manufacturers agreed to sign a deal which determines both companies to share development costs.

Also, Ford and Toyota explained that they want to develop a more affordable technology for customers as soon as possible.Both manufacturers now produce and sell hybrid cars. Hybrid trucks need a different system with will develop enough power to tow and carry heavy loads.

“Our collaboration with Ford is a move to make hybrid technology more widely available in sport-utility vehicles and in trucks. Those kinds of models are indispensable to American customers. And providing them with our hybrid technology will help conserve energy and reduce output of greenhouse gas here in the United States. That was our thinking in considering the collaboration,” Takeshi Uchiyamada, Toyota Executive Vice President for research and development, was quoted as saying by msnbc.com.

It is a well known fact that hybrid trucks would help car manufacturers meet government fuel economy and pollution standards in the US, and other countries as well. Also, Ford product development chief Derrick Kuzak explained that it will take a year for the companies to figure out who will do the research, and there will be another two or three years after that before a system can be developed. The system will power some of Ford’s F-Series pickup trucks and it will also power the Tundra, Toyota’s full sized pickup truck.