Toyota and Isuzu looking at diesel

Toyota plans to announce specifics next month regarding collaboration with Isuzu on diesel engines.

Toyota has been in discussions with Isuzu, a company known for its expertise in diesel engine technology, since November, said Tina Ewald, assistant manager for media and investor relations at Toyota Motor North America.

Earlier Friday the Nikkei, Japan's leading business daily, reported that Isuzu has invested in a plant in Hokkaido, Japan for the purpose of supplying Toyota with 200,000 low-emission diesel engines per year. The report said the plant will be operational by 2012.

Toyota would not confirm or deny the report.

"We are still discussing the concrete form of collaboration, still considering different areas, and will probably make an announcement sometime in July," said Ewald.

Areas of collaboration on the table with Isuzu include field research and development of small diesel engines, emission control technologies, and devices for diesel engines and "other technologies related to alternative fuels," according to Ewald.

Toyota did not reveal any specifics on projects, or if the company has a hybrid diesel engine car in mind for development.

Toyota purchased a 5.9 percent stake in Isuzu last November. At that time, Toyota issued a statement that the two companies planned to "utilize their management resources in the fields of research and development and production, and to supplement each other's technological development."

The news follows this week's announcement that Toyota has developed a valve system to make gas engines 5 percent to 10 percent more fuel efficient and reduce emissions. Toyota plans to implement the technology in all of its gas engines by 2010.

[Travis Ernst]

What about LandCruiser

Toyota HAD been making the FJ40 in Diesel. Both the Jeep
version and the Wagon. Only not allowed, or choosing not to
import it to the US. A handfull of people DID either make their
Toyota Landcruisers diesel, or one by accident obtained a mis-
shipped one at a dealership and was smart to buy it right away.

It's possible their NeXT gen will be up to the california emission
standard (less emissions than you breathing) where they just
about CLEAN the air by the turbo diesels running.

I miss the old Land Cruisers. They never would get stuck unless
you tried to in a spring wet field.

[geekpro]

All Electric - Solar Panel Roof

If we can build a fricking Space Station, in Outer Space, I'm sure Toyota can build an "All Electric Car" with a Solar Recharging Unit on the roof to charge the batteries, along with a rapid charger for use at home and at charging stations.

[William Crow]

Lower green house gas emmisions than hybrid.

Am I correct in assming that diesels emit less greenhouse gas, in
comparable size ranges, than hybrids? I think this is the case.
Those who are believers in the new environmental religion can now
move into a new area of feel good 'action!'
They can be 'proactive,' even! (another feel good buzzword)

[lynxss]

Isuzu diesels are nice

The Isuzu trucks I've driven and maintained as a fleet mechanic in previous jobs were quite nice. The Isuzus always started right up on cold Colorado mornings and we never had any difficulty with them compaired to the Macs, Kenworths, and heavy equipment engines which were notoriously tempermental in the mornings. The Isuzus were quiet and much more comfortable to drive arround in, only thing I hated about them was getting in and out of them with that funky door shape from the extreme cab forward design and awkward shifting. With a passenger car none of these would be an issue.

It'll be interesting to see how Isuzu's passenger vehicle engines stack up against the new Mercedes and Jeep ones that have come out.