TOYOTA AGREES ON JOINT PRODUCTION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE

Toyota City―TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION and Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. recently agreed on joint production of a battery-powered, multipurpose van to promote the use of electric vehicles. Based on the Toyota Hi Ace Van, three units of the vehicle will be produced, two of which will be used for vehicle evaluation at Toyota.

The two companies have been working actively from their respective standpoints on research, prototype development, and publicity for the electric vehicle. With growing international concern about environmental problems and rising demand for efficient use of energy, they have decided to produce a vehicle of this type and to publicize it widely to increase awareness of electric vehicles.

Toyota has been commissioned by Chubu Electric Power Co. to develop and manufacture the vehicle. Once it has been completed, the power company plans to rent it out for various events, for example, as an escort vehicle for marathons.

Production of the vehicle is scheduled for completion at the end of 1990. It will be delivered at the end of January 1991 and rented to the general public from mid-February of that year.