Diesel-electric LandCruiser, Prado and HiLux hybrids attainable as Toyota commits to diesel energy
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Toyota says it has no plan to cease growing diesel engines regardless of tightening emissions rules globally, and hasn’t dominated out introducing diesel hybrids.
Talking at a convention held at the side of the Japan Mobility Present (JMS) in Tokyo final week, the corporate’s powertrain chief Takashi Uehara stated there’s no timeline for the top of diesel-powered Toyotas.
“Concerning diesel engines, we don’t have a deadline – we’re persevering with our improvement and would not have a deadline to finish the manufacturing or improvement,” Uehara-san instructed Australian media.
“We nonetheless see excessive requests and expectations from our clients in Australia, Europe and the Center East – there’s nonetheless demand in these markets.”
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Diesel automobiles accounted for 48.4 per cent of Toyota Australia gross sales between January and August 2025 – greater than in 2024 (42.6 per cent) however lower than the earlier 12 months when the determine was a dominant 52.6 per cent.
Nonetheless, Toyota repeated its dedication to ‘decarbonisation’ on the JMS, primarily through its trademark petrol-electric hybrid automobiles. However whereas it wouldn’t verify it’s growing a diesel-electric hybrid powertrain, it didn’t rule out including electrification to diesel engines.
Whereas the corporate’s vary of hybrid fashions is dominated by petrol engines, the 48V mid-hybrid HiLux and Prado ‘V-Energetic’ fashions launched in Australia in 2024 have been the primary electrified diesel automobiles to reach in native showrooms, though Toyota doesn’t seek advice from them as hybrids.
“There may be excessive potential for ICE [internal combustion engines] – the combo of fuels that’s extremely accommodating of various sorts,” Uehara-san stated.
“Some areas need the battery-EV and [also] have the ICE – it’s not a sure deadline that now we have or sure 12 months; I believe this sort of demand will likely be ever present,”
“It’s the identical for gasoline [petrol] and diesel fuels, too, and if we attempt to develop the chances, availability, now we have to look into the varied engine availabilities, not simply the engine alone.”
On diesel engines particularly, Uehara-san stated: “We would not have a sure deadline that we’ll finish improvement or manufacturing, however emissions rules will turn into more durable going ahead.”
This consists of Australia’s New Car Effectivity Customary (NVES), which launched penalties for automakers who exceed set CO2 tailpipe emissions limits.
Launched this 12 months, the NVES has already pressured rear-wheel drive variations of the Ford Everest and Isuzu MU-X off-roaders to be dropped from Australian showrooms.
The dedication comes after Toyota Australia vp of gross sales, advertising and marketing and franchise operations, Sean Hanley – talking on the announcement of the LandCruiser Hybrid which employs a petrol-electric V6 hybrid powertrain from the Tundra pickup – urged diesel energy has round a decade to run earlier than hydrogen begins taking up.
Toyota has dedicated to a ‘multi-pathway strategy’, the time period it makes use of to explain its technique of providing varied powertrain sorts – petrol, diesel, hybrid, electrical (EV) and fuel-cell electrical (FCEV) – throughout its mannequin vary.
Toyota, the world’s largest automaker, was criticised for being gradual to introduce EVs and never making a dedication to go EV-only inside a sure timeframe like lots of its rivals. However now many business consultants regard its strategy as prudent as different automakers stroll again their all-EV commitments and mop up important monetary losses resulting from extra EV manufacturing capability and/or unplanned ICE car improvement.
“The fee for admission goes to be heavier and that will undermine the recognition of the diesel sooner or later – that’s a risk,” Uehara-san added.
“We will likely be selling our electrification and likewise discount of CO2, however persevering with the large torque on the diesel engine – sustaining that – as we proceed our analysis and improvement.”
If Toyota does embrace diesel hybrid know-how, it received’t be the primary automaker to take action. And whereas a number of European manufacturers beforehand provided diesel-electric powertrains, Chery Australia’s first ute is anticipated to be powered by a diesel-electric plug-in hybrid system, which might make it the primary car of its variety Down Underneath.
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