TOKYO -- Toyota Motor and Mazda Motor are in the final stages of talks on a comprehensive partnership in eco-friendly technology, seeking an edge amid tightening environmental regulations and tough emerging-market competition.
Toyota intends to supply fuel cell and plug-in-hybrid technology. In 2018, environmentally conscious California plans to push automakers to boost sales volume for electric and fuel cell vehicles. China and other emerging economies are set to strengthen environmental regulations, too. Mazda, which has lagged in electric-vehicle technology, hopes to keep up with these changes by bolstering its relationship with Toyota.
