Despite its essential use in heavy-duty vehicles such as buses and locomotives, diesel gets a bad rep when it comes to its use in more pedestrian offerings like passenger cars and light trucks.
The “dirty” fuel usually comes up when the subject is around emissions cheating, whether it’s by household names like engine manufacturer Cummins, or through sketchy third-party tuners tinkering with pickup trucks.
As a great portion of the automotive world moves on from gas and diesel-burning machines to inch closer towards an electric future, key figures within Japanese automaker Toyota (TM) think much differently.
Toyota Motor Corporation Australia Vice President – Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations Sean Hanley
Michael Willson/AFL Photos/Getty Images
In a recent interview with Australian auto magazine Drive, Toyota Australia Sales and Marketing VP Sean Hanley echoed some sentiments from his higher ups in Japan, stating that diesel fueled engines still have a place in its global lineup and are not going away any time soon.
“Diesel, despite popular commentary, is not dead,” Hanley said. “It’s got a while to go, diesel, so it’s not going to die off anytime soon.”
Though he has confidence in the “dirty” fuel, the only way Toyota is going to survive in the West is by adapting it to stricter and stricter emissions regulations.
“It’s certainly a fuel source that I think will be closely examined over the next 10 to 20 years, but in the meantime, there is potential for it to have hybrid variants – you know, reduce its carbon footprint.”
2024 Toyota Hilux Hybrid 48V
Toyota
Recently, Toyota’s Australian division released a hybrid version of its Hilux pickup truck. The light-duty pickup — which has a large cult-like following in the region, is powered by a turbocharged 2.8-liter four-cylinder diesel engine mated to a 48V hybrid system.
The truck and Hanley’s statement about diesels is largely reflective of the attitudes of Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda, who made a startling prediction about battery-powered EVs back in January.
“No matter how much progress BEVs make, I think they will still only have a 30 % market share,” Toyoda said at a January company event. “Then, the remaining 70% will be HEVs, FCEVs, and hydrogen engines. And I think engine cars will definitely remain.”
“I think this is something that customers and the market will decide, not regulatory values or political power.”
Hybrids are leading the pack:
The Toyota Crown premium hybrid sedan
Toyota
As per recent data released by Toyota North America, car shoppers are deciding with their wallets and buying power. Sales of “electrified” vehicles – the auto industry’s umbrella term for vehicles like hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery-powered EVs – surged 74.1% in the first quarter of 2024, and represented 36.6% of total sales volume.
According to Toyota, hybrid vehicles like the Prius, the Prius Prime, the Camry Hybrid, the Crown premium hybrid sedan and the RAV4 Hybrid all had “strong triple-digit gains in the first quarter” of 2024.
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Toyota North America executive VP of sales Jack Hollis credits the consumer demand to the “diverse portfolio” of “27 electrified vehicle options between the Toyota and Lexus brands.”
Additionally, he believes that the launch of new hybrid vehicles this year will only help to grow what they already have.
“Our teams are preparing to launch more than 20 new, refreshed or special edition vehicles later this year including the all-new 2024 Tacoma with available hybrid powertrain, plus the all-new 2024 Land Cruiser and 2025 Camry, both exclusively with hybrid powertrains, offering even more electrified options that fits customers’ lifestyles and needs.”
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