Toyota decided to drop diesel engines from its new C-HR compact following Volkswagen’s emissions scandal and will probably do the same for future model renewals, a top executive said.
Executive vice president Didier Leroy told Reuters the automaker decided “within the last six to 12 months” not to offer a diesel C-HR because demand for the powertrain technology is falling sharply.
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Toyota has been buying-in BMW diesel engines for some recent European models and recently emphasised the success of its hybrids with a report sales so far this year were up 45% with the electrified powertrain expected to account for about a third of its 900,000 sales this year.
“We’re on track to sell close to 300,000 hybrids this year,” said Karl Schlicht, executive vice president of TME in a statement. “That is a new record for us and positions Toyota and Lexus as leaders in electrification.”
If faced with a renewal decision today for other models up to and including the larger Auris compact, a Toyota Europe staple, “we would probably do the same thing”, Leroy told Reuters at the Paris show.
Toyota’s decision is the latest example of how the so-called dieselgate scandal is forcing carmakers to rewrite strategic plans that will shape their futures for years to come, the news agency noted, adding that Renault expects diesel engines to disappear from most of its European cars after it reviewed the costs of meeting tighter emissions standards following VW’s scandal.
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By GlobalDataFrom 2019, vehicle approvals will depend on emissions performance during real driving. This is compelling manufacturers to install costlier emissions treatment systems, the report added.
