Ford To Buy Motors FromToshiba For Hybrid cars

TOKYO, March 18, 2004; Reuters reported that Japanese electronics conglomerate Toshiba Corp said on Thursday it will produce motors to be used in Ford Motor Co's hybrid cars, making a full-fledged entry into the automotive parts market.

Toshiba said its subsidiary Toshiba Industrial Products Manufacturing Corp will make up to 2,000 motors a month starting in April for Aisin AW, an auto parts maker affiliated with Toyota Motor Corp.

Aisin AW will assemble the motors with other equipment to make drive systems for Ford's Escape hybrid cars.

Toshiba, which said last year it aimed for auto parts sales of 50 billion yen ($466.5 million) in the year ending in March 2007, also plans to start manufacturing auto parts such as exhaust gas purification units and collision avoidance systems.