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Honda open to working with GM

Discussion in 'Auto News' started by AE102, Aug 4, 2005.

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    Honda open to working with GM

    Japan automaker willing to share fuel-cell technology in exchange for GM's U.S. regulatory insights.
    August 4, 2005: 7:45 AM EDT

    TOKYO (Reuters) - The head of Honda Motor Co. said he is open to working with General Motors in various areas, including fuel-cell development, as a means of gleaning its rival's expertise in the U.S. regulatory and political fields.

    "The door is open," Chief Executive Takeo Fukui told reporters Thursday.

    "They haven't approached us (about working together on fuel-cell technology), but if they did, we'd seriously consider it," he said, while admitting that was unlikely given GM's (Research) broad tie-up agreement with Toyota Motor Corp. (Research) in the field.

    Honda (Research), Japan's third-biggest auto maker, is known for eschewing alliances on research and development, having produced both a hybrid and fuel-cell vehicle without the help of other auto makers.

    That policy remains unchanged, Fukui said. But he said Honda could share information with GM, and in return benefit from the U.S. giant's knowledge at the political and regulatory levels -- useful when it comes to lobbying activities, for instance.

    "We don't rely on other auto makers to develop vehicle technology," Fukui said, adding that Honda leads the industry in fuel-cell vehicles.

    "But we think it would be nice to have more contact with GM, whether it be in fuel cells, recycling or other areas, and I think that view is mutual.

    "For us, having a channel of communication with the world's biggest auto maker would help -- there's a lot of information to be gained," he said.

    That was the rationale behind an agreement the two auto makers signed in 2000 under which Honda would supply a small number of V6 engines to GM, Fukui said. Honda began supplying the engines for GM's Saturn Vue model in August 2003, with volume reaching 87,000 in 2004.

    Fukui said he sometimes meets with GM CEO Rick Wagoner, but new forms of cooperation are slow in coming.

    http://money.cnn.com/2005/08/04/Autos/honda_gm.reut/index.htm?section=money_latest

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