Ford Makes Battery Deal with Toyota-Matsushita

12/18/96

A joint venture by Toyota Motor Co. and Matsushita Electric Industrial will be supplying Ford Motors with the nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries needed to power its new electric vehicles.

The battery deal was struck in anticipation of an upswing in the sales of electric cars due to California's new zero-emission law. This law requires 10% of cars sold after 2003 to be emission-free.

The NiMH batteries, which are manufactured by Panasonic EV, provide a longer range per charge than traditional lead-acid batteries, and are well on the way to becoming the industry standard. Other automakers, including Toyota, Honda, and Nissan, also plan to use the NiMH batteries.

Ryan Houlette -- The Auto Channel