Mazda To Ramp Up Spending on Green Technologies
Mazda is carefully positioning itself to become the small-vehicle environmental leader within the Ford Motor Company. The company plans a major green effort within the next few years, hiking its research and development budget 30 percent to beef up efforts on green vehicles.
The Nikkei reports that Mazda will spend $4.2 billion over the next four fiscal years on the effort. But Mazda President Hisakazu Imaki could not specify which technologies will dominate its research initiative. He said Mazda will try to maximize its budget by focusing on small vehicles in hopes of becoming a pioneer in the segment within Ford.
Mazda has several interesting green options in the pipeline, including a hybrid-electric vehicle with a hydrogen-fueled combustion engine that is due next year. It is also planning a diesel-powered vehicle for early next decade.
