Toyota’s Powertrain Strategy Extending Beyond Hybrids

TOKYO – Two and a half years after marketing its first downsized, turbocharged engine, Toyota is making inroads in the powertrain segment. 

To date, the Japanese automaker, the world’s leader in gas-electric hybrids, has introduced three new engines with forced induction – two gasoline and one diesel – on 11 Toyota and Lexus cars.

The engines are part of a more general overhaul of Toyota’s non-hybrid engine lineup focusing on boosting thermal efficiency to improve fuel economy. The automaker claims to have developed gasoline engines approaching diesels in terms of thermal efficiency.

An estimated 15% of Toyota’s global sales are hybrids.

The 2.0L gasoline 8AR-FTS, which debuted in April 2014 on the Lexus NX200t CUV, now is available on seven models. In addition to the NX200t, these include the IS200t, GS Turbo, RX200t and RC200t in the automaker’s Lexus lineup along with the Toyota Crown and Highlander.

Producing 241 hp and 258 lb.-ft. (350 Nm) of torque in most models, Toyota says the Euro 6-compliant engine can achieve 37 mpg (6.3 L/100 km). In developing the engine, Toyota boosted thermal efficiency to 36%.

The 8NR-FTS was adopted for the Auris hatchback in April 2015. Toyota says the 1.2L 4-cyl. also achieves thermal efficiency of 36%.

The diesel 1GD-FTV, on the market since May 2015, first was installed in the Hilux pickup truck produced in Thailand. Since then, Toyota has added the Land Cruiser Prado SUV and Innova passenger van.

The Innova is assembled in India and the Land Cruiser Prado at Toyota’s Tahara plant and Hino’s Hino plant in Japan. The engine is available in two displacements: 2.4L and 2.8L.

The engine’s main production base is the Higashichita plant of Toyota Industries in Aichi.

In fiscal 2015, the supplier produced 72,000 “GD” diesels, which were designed to replace the “KD” series. Toyota Industries is projecting output of 177,000 units in the current fiscal year ending next March.

The supplier still delivers KD engines to Toyota for the Hiace passenger van.

In addition to GD and KD engines, Toyota Industries produces 4.5L “VD” diesel V-8s and 2.5L “AR” gasoline engines. 

On the vehicle side, it assembles Vitz, Yaris and RAV4 models, including the RAV4 hybrid.

In fiscal 2015, Toyota Industries produced 434,000 engines, both diesel and gasoline. It is projecting 500,000 in fiscal 2016 including 283,000 diesels.

In developing the GD engine, Toyota boosted maximum thermal efficiency to 44% while improving torque and fuel efficiency 25% and 15%, respectively. It boosted low-speed torque 11%.

The 2.4L produces maximum torque of 295 lb.-ft. (400 Nm), while the 2.8L unit can churn out 332 lb.-ft. (450 Nm). Toyota estimates fuel economy at 35 mpg (6.7 L/100 km).

In November 2014, Toyota consolidated diesel engine development and production with Toyota Industries. The supplier, owned 25.5% by the automaker, will take the lead in future diesel engine development.