To Be Installed in Hybrid Vehicles Produced from 2012

Last June, Toshiba signed a contract to provide drive motors for Ford's hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles from 2012. With the addition of these inverters, Toshiba will have secured the core components for hybrid vehicles.

A dedicated production line for inverters will be newly established at Toshiba's Mie Prefecture factory. Production will commence in April 2012, with an annual capacity of 150,000 units.

Escape Hybrid

Fusion Hybrid

Ford has previously released models such as the SUV "Escape Hybrid" and "Fusion Hybrid." News also indicates plans to introduce hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the "C-MAX" compact minivan for the European market into North America in 2012.

The market for inverters for environmentally friendly vehicles, including hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and electric vehicles, is expected to grow globally in response to increasingly stringent environmental regulations. According to Toshiba, the market size is projected to expand from 180 billion yen in 2010 to 1.5 trillion yen by 2020, indicating substantial growth.

Toshiba aims to achieve 800 billion yen in sales by 2015 through the acceleration of its overseas expansion in the automotive sector, focusing on power electronics-related businesses such as motors, inverters, and secondary batteries, including its railway vehicle business.