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Mazda to Offer Gas-Electric Hybrid Sport-Utility Vehicle

November 01, 2004 by Jeff Shepard

Mazda Motor Corp. (Tokyo, Japan) announced plans to launch an environmentally friendly, gasoline-electric hybrid, sport-utility vehicle by using technology jointly developed with affiliate Ford Motor Co. Mazda, along with Ford, has also been developing a green hydrogen-electric hybrid vehicle.

Mazda President Hisakazu Imaki stated, "We are working on developing a hybrid version of the Tribute (SUV model) in cooperation with Ford." Imaki declined to clarify when his company will launch the hybrid SUV.

The Tribute SUV shares the common platform with the Ford Escape SUV, whose hybrid version model was launched earlier this year. Mazda seeks to limit costs to develop the Tribute hybrid model by using the hybrid technology that was installed in the Escape SUV.