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Toyota makes its hybrid vehicle patents free to use

Company says it is granting royalty-free use of its technology to 'promote the further growth of electrified vehicles globally'.


Toyota will make roughly 23,740 electrified vehicle patents available for royalty-free use until the end of 2030, as it looks to drive development of hybrid vehicles around the world.

The automaker says it's making the move to "further promote the widespread use of electrified vehicles, and in so doing, help governments, automakers, and society at large accomplish goals related to climate change".

The suite of patents comes from over 20 years of research and development, and includes technology for hybrid, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, as well as electric motors, power control units, and system controls.

In addition to opening up its patent library, Toyota will provide technical support to any manufacturers who use its electric drivetrain technology. Unlike the patents themselves, these consultation services will not be free.

In 2015 Toyota made its hydrogen fuel-cell patents royalty free until at least 2020, while in 2014 Tesla made all of its electric drivetrain, battery design and fast-charging patents free for everyone to use in "good faith" in tackling the world's "carbon crisis".

Toyota recently signed a partnership deal with Suzuki, which will see it supply hybrid drivetrain technology, as well as a number of European-made hybrid models, to Suzuki.

The Japanese automaker has previously licensed its hybrid technology to Ford.

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