together the engineering and manufacturing and mobile software technology to focus on the growing battery electric vehicle market,″ Fiat Chrysler said in a statement.

Talks were aimed at reaching a binding agreement ’’in the next few months,″ the company said.

Automakers around the world have announced a series of electric vehicle partnerships to share the soaring cost of technology development.

Companies including General Motors Co. and Toyota Motor Co. have electric vehicle joint ventures with Chinese partners to take advantage of their experience at making low-cost vehicles.

The Chinese government has a credit-based system that encourages automaker to sell electric vehicles, leading to a proliferation of brands. But industry analysts expect high development costs to drive many of them to merge.

The trend has led to a complicated mix of ties among competitors.

DaimlerPresident Barack Obama speaks to reporters in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington after meeting with Congressional leaders regarding the fiscal cliff, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012.

Charles Dharapak, Associated Press - Ap

Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is followed by reporters as he returns to his office, after meeting with President Barack Obama and other Congressional leaders, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Dec. 28, 2012. Congressional leaders met at the White House Friday as top aides said lawmakers were pursuing a proposal that would prevent tax increases on incomes of $400,000 or below.

T.j. Kirkpatrick, Nyt - Nyt

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) walks to the Senate chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Dec. 27, 2012. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid criticized