Whenever Toyota makes a move, the world takes notice. Japan’s #1 automaker (which looks poised to be the world’s largest) has been a leader on hybrid development, but has been a little behind the curve when it comes to diesel development. It especially lost face when archrival Honda boasted it would have clean diesel models on sale in the U.S. within 3 years. Toyota’s only response at the time was, “We’re working on it.”
Whenever Toyota makes a move, the world takes notice. Japan’s #1 automaker (which looks poised to be the world’s largest) has been a leader on hybrid development, but has been a little behind the curve when it comes to diesel development. It especially lost face when archrival Honda boasted it would have clean diesel models on sale in the U.S. within 3 years. Toyota’s only response at the time was, “We’re working on it.”
Although Toyota owns Hino, a maker of medium and heavy-duty trucks, the company’s experience with smaller-displacement diesels is limited. So it figured its time (and money) might be best spent partnering with a company whose primary expertise is compression-ignition engines. Naturally, Toyota chose Isuzu, one of the oldest carmakers in Japan and with a history of developing and manufacturing diesel engines of more than 60 years.
Isuzu’s expertise with diesels is so renowned that, when General Motors was developing its next-generation ¾ and 1-ton diesel engine for its full-size pickups, it chose Isuzu to do the bulk of the research and development work. Today, we know that engine as the Duramax.
With the General spinning off its stake in Isuzu early this year, Toyota saw it as the perfect opportunity to purchase 5.6 percent of the company, as well as tap its deep well of expertise with diesel engines. Granted, it looks like the automaker got some ground to catch up on with diesel development compared to Honda, Volkswagen, and DaimlerChrysler, but with its seemingly bottomless financial resources and steely determination, don’t count Toyota out from bringing clean diesels to the U.S. market right behind everyone else. Perhaps even the first production passenger-car diesel hybrid? If a 100-mpg Prius seemed a little far-fetched about a year ago, with the addition of a possible turbodiesel, it’s a very likely reality.
3 comments so far
Toyota made the Prius but do you know the 6 wheels Hybrid Electric Vehicle ?
You can see it on http://www.oto6.free.fr and many other models !
November 17th, 2006 at 9:43 am
Perhaps not being the first to jump on the diesel bandwagon could have some attributes for TM.
After all, even though they were well known in Japan long before we ever heard of TM, it did take a few years of presence in the U.S. before they got a good foothold in the American market.Look where they are now.
Only a handful of automakers world wide have experience sucessfully mass producing diesel powered cars; most notably in Europe.
U.S diesel powered vehicles have traditionally been trucks of many sizes,buses and other commercial vehicles.
GMs attempt to introduce them in cars late 70s early 80s. etc was not what the public wanted at that time.
Today the stigma of driving a smelly , soot belching oil burner seems to be dissapearing with the advent of cleaner diesel fuel and cleaner burning , more efficient diesel engines plus the higher cost of fuel.
Toyota seems to have made a wise decision by buying a share of diesel savy Isuzu. I would hope devlopement of diesel engines for automobiles would not be a start from scratch issue with either company.
Even though TM may be entering the diesel game later than others, they certainly have a track record that should not leave them in last place once production begins. You know what they can do and this will certainly give them time to learn from others sucess and failures.
A diesel -hybrid , a dream amchine for economy. Hopefully not a nightmare.
November 17th, 2006 at 2:42 pm
Yep, this is definitely a development to keep an eye on. I think Toyota’s traditionally conservative approach may serve them well in this regard. If Americans’ initial response to diesel passenger cars is lukewarm, they won’t be stuck with a bunch of “lot sitters.” However, the feeling I’m getting is more likely that there will be waiting lists for the first crop of 50-state diesel passenger cars. There is a significant gray market for 45-state VW TDIs in California, many going for as much or more than brand-new MSRP with 6-10,000 miles on them!
November 17th, 2006 at 5:51 pm
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