Toyota diesel hybrid no
September 21st, 2009 by Richard Aucock
TOYOTA has ‘no plans’ to offer a diesel-engined hybrid model, sales chief Andrea Formica told Car Dealer Magazine.
‘Diesel will continue to evolve hand in hand with hybrid,’ he said.
But the two will not be combined together; the cars would end up simply being too expensive!
‘Our approach is meant to make hybrid as broad an offering as possible.’
The cost of combining hybrid technology with diesel – which already commands a £1000 premium over petrol – means he feels the economic case for combining the two is unconvincing.
Huge investments in futuristic new technology can only be justified if lots of customers benefit. That means keeping costs down. With even stricter emissions regulations on the horizon for diesel models, Formica feels there will never be an economic case for a diesel hybrid car.
Toyota is well aware of price penalties recently – a third of the brand’s product still comes from Japan, which has been hit by prohibitive exchange rates.
‘This has had a very negative impact on profitability,’ said Formica.
‘The only solution is more localisation, in terms of both product and parts. This is why, in the future, we will see an even higher focus on core models in the EU.
‘This is, we feel, crucial for long-term growth.’
At Frankfurt was the first fruit of this approach – the UK-built Auris hybrid. This car will go on sale next year.
But could Formica’s words indicate Toyota’s Derby plant is, in fact, set to grow in importance in the coming years?
By Richard Aucock