Toyota is joining the growing list of car manufacturers who are dropping diesel-powered cars from their lineups, at least in Europe. The Japanese auto giant has confirmed today that it will no longer sell diesel cars in Europe after 2018. It will slowly phase out the diesel models from its lineup over the course of this year.
Toyota Europe CEO Johan van Zyl confirmed in Geneve today that the company will stop selling diesel-powered passenger cars in Europe by the end of this year. The models account for less than 10 percent of its sales in the region.
The announcement follows one from Toyota’s division in Italy which confirmed in January this year that it would no longer sell diesel-powered passenger cars in the country. Toyota has already moved ahead with the plan to phase out these models from the European market with the launch of its new Auris hatchback which will be offered with two hybrid and one gasoline powertrains.
Toyota has done this once before with the C-HR that was launched in 2016. The car was launched without a diesel version and the Auris will now go down the same path.
However, the company will continue to offer diesel models of its Land Cruiser SUV, Hilux pickup truck and Proace light commercial vehicles as some customers prefer the higher torque that’s offered by diesel engines.
Filed in . Read more about Toyota. Source: newsroom.toyota.eu