In a landmark agrrement, BMW Group and Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) have announced they will be collaborating on the development of next-generation environmentally friendly technology.
The two will be working on research into next-generation lithium-ion batteries, in particular.
In addition, BMW will supply engines to Toyota Motor Europe (TME). The contract will involve 1.6- and 2.0-liter diesel engines starting in 2014.
The engines will be installed in several Toyota-built vehicles planned for sale in Europe, allowing Toyota to expand its lineup of fuel-efficient, low emission diesel vehicles.
Marking the announcement, Norbert Reithofer from BMW said: “Toyota is the leading provider of environment-friendly technology and the BMW Group is the most innovative and sustainable manufacturer of premium automobiles. We are joining forces to develop technologies and to expand our innovation leadership in each of our segments. Supplying Toyota with our fuel-efficient and dynamic diesel engines represents another important step in the planned expansion of our sales activities for engines and powertrain systems.”
Representing TMC, President Akio Toyoda said: “It is a great joy to enter into this mid-to-long-term collaborative relationship with BMW, a company with its own culture and history from its many years of car manufacturing in Europe, and a company that makes cars that are fun to drive. Both companies will bring their wide-ranging knowledge to the table - starting with environmental technologies -to make ever-better cars.”