It seems that it’s still anyone’s guess what exactly will result from the Toyota-Tesla partnership. The latest rumors are pointing towards a new electric vehicle that could make an appearance before the year is out.
Last week, documents from Tesla’s amended IPO statement suggested that such a jointly developed EV would simply not happen. In these documents, Telsa revealed the following:
In May 2010, Tesla and Toyota Motor Corporation, or Toyota, announced their intention to cooperate on the development of electric vehicles, and for Tesla to receive Toyota’s support with sourcing parts and production and engineering expertise for the Model S. However, we have not entered into any agreements with Toyota for any such arrangements, including any purchase orders, and we may never do so.
Although Toyota and Tesla will be manufacturing vehicles together at NUMMI, this document suggested that a new vehicle combining the work of Tesla and Toyota would be improbable. However, new reports from Japan are saying that the two automakers have already struck a deal to build an electric prototype together this year. Unfortunately, the report from Japan’s Nikkei didn’t provide many details, but here’s what was reported:
Upon forming capital and business ties last month, Toyota and Tesla said that they will jointly develop electric vehicles and share expertise, such as Tesla’s electric-vehicle technologies and Toyota’s production know-how. As the first step, the two firms aim to develop a prototype based on a current Toyota model using Tesla’s lithium-ion-battery-based system. Actively utilizing Tesla’s technologies will likely enable Toyota to lower the cost of its future electric vehicles, a Toyota executive said.
Naturally, nothing can be confirmed at this point, but it’s safe to say that the tie-up between these two innovative companies could still yield some pretty exciting news. Stay tuned.
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