Breaking: Ford And Toyota Cooperating On Trucks
Ford and Toyota will “equally collaborate on the development of an advanced new hybrid system for light truck and SUV customers.” A memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the product development collaboration, was signed today, with the formal agreement expected to be inked by next year. Both have been working independently on their rear-wheel drive hybrid systems. They have decided that it makes more sense to share the significant burden.
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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I'd be up for a hybrid truck anytime. The JDM Nissan Cube came with an e-AWD option where the gas engine drives the front wheel like normal and the rear wheels have separate electric motors to help those little cars get out of snow in the winter. No transfer case. Now we just need a beefed up version of that setup.
Sounds like Ford needs to purchase hybrid technology from Toyota, and they hope to offer car communication technology in trade. In my opinion, Toyota hybrid technology is worth far more than what Ford has to offer. Give Ford marketing credit in spinning this story such that it sounds like Ford has hybrid technology that has some value to Toyota. But, from Ford's standpoint, it is smart to purchase swaths of Toyota's hybrid technology.
It wouldn't surprise me to see in the not too distant future an arrangement similar to what Ford has with Navistar for their MD trucks. The Ford F650, F750 and International NGVs come off the same Blue Diamond assembly line on the same basic rolling chassis. The cabs and engine choices are exclusive but pretty much everything else is shared.
Agree. Ford will benefit the most. Toyota is not thinking straight. If they need the cash, they can easily borrow since they're the largest industrial corporation in the world.