Executives at Toyota Motor say they will grant royalty-free access to their patents for hybrid vehicles. They're aiming to expand the HV market amid a global tightening of fuel economy rules.

Toyota says it will provide other makers with the rights to more than 23,000 patents for hybrid-related parts and systems. These include electric motors and power control units.

Toyota also plans to provide rival makers with technical support.

The company hopes the move will encourage more automakers to produce hybrids. This should help lower production costs for entirely electric vehicles -- which share key components with hybrids.

Toyota Executive Vice President Shigeki Terashi said, "Our mass production technology can also be adapted to electric and fuel cell vehicles. The manufacturing foundations we've built will help spread such vehicles in the future."

Terashi said Toyota wants to help speed up reductions in carbon dioxide emissions.