Ford Motor Co has signed an agreement with Toyota Motor Corp to develop a hybrid system for pickup trucks and sports utility vehicles as US fuel economy rules tighten, Bloomberg reported.

The automobile companies have reached a preliminary agreement that calls for selling vehicles with the technology this decade as well as working together on in-car communications systems and internet-based services. 

Ford has joined hands with Japan-based seller of gasoline electric autos as it plans to triple North American output of electric vehicles and hybrid to more than 100,000 by 2013.

Both companies want to have a final agreement by next year, focused on developing a rear-wheel drive system to handle larger vehicles.

The agreement brings together the capability of two global leaders in hybrid vehicles and hybrid technology to develop a better solution more quickly and affordably, said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s product development chief. 

Both companies did not comment as to which trucks and sports utility vehicles will use the jointly developed hybrid technology. Ford offers hybrid versions of the Escape and the Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ sedans.

It sells about 35,000 hybrids annually. Toyota’s Prius is the top-selling hybrid in the U.S., with 74,427 sold this year through July and 140,928 in all of 2010.

Toyota may offer hybrid versions of every model in its lineup. It is also working with electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc on battery-powered versions of the Toyota RAV4 sports utility vehicle that begins sales in 2012.

The Toyota-Ford collaboration could expand into projects beyond hybrid trucks and SUVs and in-car communications.