DETROIT/TOKYO Japanese electronics conglomerate Toshiba Corp. announced it will supply drive motors for Ford Motor Co. hybrid vehicles, aiming to cash in on surging demand for green cars, Reuters reports.
Toshiba, which also produces lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, said it would start making the automotive propulsion units in the United States to meet growing demand, Reuters said.
It will be the first time the company has manufactured the parts outside Japan.
Production would begin in 2012, when Ford will begin mass production of its new hybrid, Agence France-Press reports.
It plans to invest about 4 billion yen ($44 million) to set up a new production line at an existing facility in Houston and start production in 2012 with a monthly capacity of 100,000 units, Reuters reports.