A Toyota executive in Australia has hinted the Japanese firm could turn to diesel-hybrid powertrains for use in vehicles such as the Hilux and Land Cruiser.

Speaking to CarsGuide, Sean Hanley, Toyota Australia's vice-president of sales and marketing, suggested that electrifying the brand’s popular oil-burning engines had not been ruled out.

"We're not planning to phase out diesel any time soon, let me make that clear," he told the publication. "But obviously we'll have to look at all alternatives in relation to this technology going forward. It’s not beyond possibility that we'll have diesel hybrids.”

Hanley went on say such a powertrain would need “to be capable”.

“Obviously our customers are saying they're willing to look at alternatives – that's happening now. But when you start entering the light commercial vehicle space, you've got to be able to have the capability to go with it; that's deeply important."

Hanley said while the firm didn’t have “any announcements on a diesel hybrid today”, it was certainly “an alternative” Toyota was examining.

In October 2019, Hanley said there was “no doubt” the Hilux and Land Cruiser bakkies would be electrified at some point in the future.

Original article from Car