Toshiba Corporation (6502.T) will expand manufacturing capacity at its plant in Houston, Texas for production of drive motors for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs).
The production will be Toshiba's first overseas manufacturing base for automotive propulsion motors which are currently produced in Mie Prefecture, Japan. The decision follows the awarding of a contract to supply drive motors for hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles for Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F).
The companies did not say which Ford vehicle wil employ Toshiba
components.
Sherif Marakby, Director, Electrification Programs and Engineering at Ford said Toshiba's decision will help build U.S. capacity and supply of components to further enable vehicle electrification.
Toshiba will begin construction for the expanded capacity in January 2011 in Houston, Texas, on the site of Toshiba International Corporation. Production of the automotive motors is expected to begin in 2012.
Toshiba estimates that the global market for electric drive motors for hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles, will grow from 50 billion yen (US$55.47 million) in fiscal year 2009 to 1 trillion yen (US$11 billion) in fiscal year 2020.
Toshiba also is developing advances in other automotive technologies,
from dedicated on-board control systems to batteries and Intelligent
Traffic Systems.
Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 740 companies, with 204,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing 6.3 trillion yen.
