Opening up a completely new segment is very risky, but if you succeed, you have the market for yourself while competitors try to catch-up. Toyota did it in 1997 with the introduction of the hybrid Prius. Now that vehicles with reduced fuel consumption and low carbon emissions are being forced upon carmakers, everyone is following Toyota’s example.
But why spend a fortune to try to develop a new technology when there is already one available? In August, Ford made a deal with Toyota to collaborate on hybrid technology.
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