Toyota said Thursday it plans to develop components for hybrid vehicles with two Chinese automakers, in an unprecedented technology-sharing deal aimed at boosting green car sales in the world's largest vehicle market.
The Japanese giant is already assembling hybrids in China with First Automobile Works and Guangzhou Automobile Group, the third- and sixth-ranked Chinese car manufacturers respectively.
But the plan to share key hybrid technology with an overseas partner marks a first for Toyota and a shift away from Japanese carmakers' traditional reluctance over such deals for fear of losing their competitive edge.
China's pollution problem has stoked big demand for environmentally friendly cars, such as electric and fuel-cell vehicles, while officials have promised stricter emissions standards to deal with the mushrooming public-health problem.
Source: Xinhua
