This is an old speculation that needs to be fully unveiled. The Toyota Tundra Diesel is one of the models we were expecting for years. The Japanese company was silent, never announcing too much. In some interviews, bosses even told that an oil-burner is not an option for the US-built truck. But, fans kept believe.
It is already 2023. The sudden wave of half-ton trucks with diesel engines hit the market a few years ago, and we thought Toyota will jump into the bandwagon. But it didn’t happen. Then fans expected from the company to follow the performance of Ram 1500, Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado on the market and launch the Toyota Tundra Diesel at some point. Even though US trucks were drawing a lot of attention, Toyota decided not to get involvement in this segment.
It’s too bad since the Japanese truckmaker disappointed a lot of fans. Outside the United States, we see Toyota vehicles with oil burners. Those are even more popular than the same models with petrol units.
Toyota Tundra Diesel Pros and Cons
Let’s check a few things that made the company give up on the Toyota Tundra Diesel. Also, we’ll try to show the benefits of such engines.
Towing Capacity
Under the hood of the Tundra was a big V8 engine. Now, the company is using the new I Force and I Force Max configurations centered around a six-cylinder unit. It is even more potent than a bigger mill. The pickup now produces 437 hp and 583 lb-ft of torque. The towing capacity is 12,000 pounds. A V8 could do 10,200 lbs.
Compared to other trucks – Ram 1500 diesel does 12,560 lbs, Silverado Duramax 13,300 lbs, and Ford F-150 Powerstroke was at 11,500 pounds before the company discontinued it. So, the mighty petrol engine still can’t make Tundra reach the top of the towing capacity charts.
Sales
Although three US companies launched diesel trucks at the same time, it didn’t bring too many benefits regarding the sales. Ford even discontinued F-150 after a few seasons. But, the situation with the Toyota Tundra Diesel is totally different. The truck is popular, but not too competitive when it comes to sales. Toyota needed a radical move, and an oil burner could be the best ad.
Zero Pollution and Electric Trucks
Objectively speaking – the Toyota Tundra Diesel is not going to happen. The truckmaker is turning to cleaner sources of power – hybrids and EVs. Even the large truck has a hybrid setup in the lineup, the I Force Max. The ultimate goal is to build an electric pickup. It will take some time, but that is the future of the automotive and truck industries. Tesla already did it, and soon we’ll see Hummer and Silverado by GM, and Lighting by Ford.
As a leader in the hybrid segment, Toyota won’t let the US truckmakers take the advantage like they did in diesel world. The Tundra EV is now more likely outcome than the diesel pickup. The same goes for the smaller Tacoma.