Photo Caption: Toyota Tundra Diesel Concept Truck Seen At SEMA 2007

During an international media reception last night at the Detroit Auto Show, Toyota Motor Corporation President, Katsuaki Watanabe, announced the release of a diesel motor for the Tundra pickup and Sequoia SUV. "First, I am happy to confirm that a new clean-diesel V8 engine will be offered in both the Tundra and Sequoia in the near future." Below is a press release from the event last night.

Detroit - Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), USA, Inc., held a media reception tonight at the 2008 North American International Auto Show at which Katsuaki Watanabe, president of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), announced a wide-ranging environmental agenda in response to the company's sustainable mobility vision.

Watanabe confirmed that a new clean diesel V8 engine will be offered in both the Tundra and Sequoia in the near future. By 2010, Toyota will accelerate its global plug-in hybrid R&D program. As part of this plan, Toyota will deliver a significant fleet of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), powered by lithium-ion batteries, to a wide variety of global commercial customers, with many coming to the U.S.

To make that happen, Toyota has already started the planning phase to expand its Panasonic joint-venture battery factory. The expansion will add an assembly line to build lithium batteries for automotive applications.

Finally, Watanabe invited the media to attend next year's NAIAS, where Toyota will stage the world premieres of two all-new, dedicated hybrids, one for Toyota and one for Lexus.

"These two introductions will move us closer to our goal of selling a million hybrids per year in the next decade," said Watanabe.

Source: Toyota