The Toyota RAV4-EV will likely be one of the first models to benefit from the maker's new partnership with software giant Microsoft.

Toyota and Microsoft have announced a new partnership, the automotive and software giants planning to develop new technology they believe can improve the efficiency of battery-powered automobiles.

Squeezing the maximum mileage out of an electric vehicle – while minimizing the impact on performance and comfort could make the difference between a successful product and an also-ran, industry officials contend.

“This new partnership between Microsoft and Toyota is an important step in developing greater future mobility and energy management for consumers around the world. Creating these more efficient, more environmentally advanced products will be our contribution to society,” said Toyota President Akio Toyoda, during a news conference simultaneously held in Toyota City, Japan, and Redmond, Washinton.

“To achieve this,” added Toyoda, “it is important to develop a new link between vehicles, people and smart center energy-management systems.”

The partners revealed plans to invest 1 billion yen, or $11.7 million, to develop a new telematics system based on the Windows Azure mobile operating platform.  They suggested that the technology could have numerous applications, ranging from improved navigation to in-car information services – as well as improving the energy management in a battery-based vehicle.

The project should make its first appearance in the battery-electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid models Toyota plans to bring to market in 2012, while a more advanced cloud-based application “that will provide affordable and advanced telematics services to Toyota automotive customers around the world,” will be launched by 2015, a joint statement said.

Microsoft has been aiming to expand its presence in the automobile for a number of years, scoring perhaps its biggest success with the launch of the Ford Sync telematics system, several years ago.  The Detroit maker’s exclusive has now expired and the Washington-based software maker is pushing to use the basic platform for other makers – including Korea’s Kia, which is about to launch its own variant of Sync.

The Toyota deal, with its ability to impact the efficiency of a battery vehicle, could be the next critical step for Microsoft.

“Today’s announcement of our partnership with TMC is a great example of how we continue to invest in the automotive industry and of our commitment to power the services that are important to consumers,” said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. “It further validates the power of the cloud, as the Windows Azure platform will provide the enterprise-grade, scalable platform that TMC needs to deliver telematics in its automobiles worldwide.”

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