Toyota will allow other companies to use nearly 24,000 patents related to its hybrid car technology, the Japanese automaker announced Wednesday. The patents will be available to license for royalty-free use until 2030, and Toyota will also offer consultation services for a fee. Toyota had previously licensed its hybrid technology to automakers like Nissan, Mazda, and Subaru before today’s announcement.
Toyota is the most prolific maker and seller of hybrid vehicles in the world, with about 80 percent of the market, according to Reuters. The automaker’s also been at it for a really long time — its first hybrid, the Prius, debuted in Japan in 1997 and started its worldwide spread in 2000. Since then, Toyota has sold more than 13 million…
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