Toyota and Mazda to expand their partnership to hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, says reports coming out of Japan.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, insiders claim that a deal is being currently being discussed that would supply Toyota’s fuel cell and plug-in hybrid technology to Mazda, says Automotive News.
For years, Mazda has been trying to develop the emissions-free technology on their own, including even a hydrogen-powered rotary engine. Now it seeks to acquire Toyota’s fuel cell expertise, which has come to market in the Mirai, the only mass-production hydrogen FCV currently on the market.
Toyota believes that expanding hydrogen FCV development in other automakers will relieve what it has identified as the technology’s biggest current bottleneck, infrastructure. Earlier this year, Toyota released 5,680 of its fuel cell patents royalty free to spur development.
In return, Toyota would gain Mazda’s know-how in building fuel-efficient and lightweight powertrains, the SkyActiv development process underpinning everything from the next MX-5 Miata to the Mazda 6.
Toyota and Mazda already share a production facility in Mexico, where Mazda build the Mazda2, recently revealed as the Toyota’s Scion iA.
Japan’s Nikkei business journal says the companies ” intended to reach an agreement on the partnership soon,” though neither company has made an official statement regarding the matter.
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