Mazda Motor Corporation has not dabbled much in hybrid technologies.  The Japanese automotive company was interested more in start-stop systems and lighter materials.  Now Mazda and Toyota have formed a partnership on hybrid technology.  Toyota will supply the technology and components to Mazda for hybrid vehicles.  The Toyota and Mazda partnership will result in a hybrid vehicle in 2013.

The control system, motor, and main components that are used in the Toyota Prius will be supplied for a Mazda vehicle.  Mazda plans to sell tens of thousands of hybrid cars.  A hybrid Mazda3 will be the first vehicle to come out of the partnership.  Mazda plans to spend about 98 billion yen ($1.2 billion) on research and development in 2010.  Toyota will be spending about 800 billion yen ($9.9 billion) during the same time period on research and development.

Earlier this month Ford Motor Company announced that they will be investing $500 million in hybrid vehicles.  General Motors will be investing $336 million in a new Michigan facility to build Chevy Volt electric cars.