Toyota Motor Corp. Executive Vice President Mitsuo Kinoshita (left) shakes hands with Fuji Heavy Industries President Kyoji Takenaka after a joint media conference Oct. 5.

The No. 1 carmaker is considering offering gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle technologies to Fuji Heavy so production will be expanded and their prices come closer to those of conventional gasoline cars.

Fuji Heavy, owner of the Subaru brand, will be asked to supply parts such as batteries to Toyota, whose output is stretched to near capacity. In this way, Toyota sees synergy effects in the recently formed capital tieup.

Toyota has seen rising demand for hybrid vehicles amid soaring gasoline prices. With a plan to introduce a hybrid vehicle in the luxury Lexus series next year, Toyota sees securing stable parts supplies as vital.

The Japan Times Weekly: Oct. 15, 2005
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