Talk of Tacoma powertrain upgrade from head guy at Toyota US...

His death was ruled a suicide:

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/inventor-rudolf-diesel-vanishes

Do I believe that really happened. Not really. But I can't stop you from popping those blue pills.

 

At my age, blue pills are a must.

 

I can't believe that you're insinuating that a business entity would destroy someones life or do anything heinous in an attempt to curb the market. That certainly never happened with electricity or anything like that.... https://www.wired.com/2008/01/dayintech-0104/

 

I recently inherited my Dad's 78 FJ40 when he passed away last fall. Makes me wonder about the long term future of classic cars where ICE engines are potentially banned. Hopefully there will be some grandfather clause in there. I don't see this as anything to worry about in the near future, but I imagine mid-century we will see rules like these.

 

Could always convert it to electric, kits already exist... just need battery and recharging tech to advance to make it viable. Would think by the time petrol burning engines are (if) banned conversion kits would be plentiful. Though might be a day we aren't even allowed to drive our own vehicles.


https://electrek.co/2016/09/03/off-...l-electric-truck-using-nissan-leaf-batteries/

 

I will honestly really miss ICE rumble. Even though electric cars are more efficient, stronger, and potentially faster, there's nothing like a good sounding engine.

 

https://www.sound-booster.com/en/sets/electric-vehicle.html

 

My money is on smaller displacement turbo 4 that slots in somewhere between the 2.7 and 3.5 in terms of power, but with better fuel economy on the highway.

 

I am willing to bet that most people who purchase Tacomas are not looing for a hybrid truck. Many buy it under the assumption of rugedness, and a hybrid powertrain doesn't exactly come off as rugged when your batteries will eventually go bad.

You mention the current truck is already expensive, add a hybrid powertrain and its gonna get REAL expensive.

The market for people who need a car with a truck bed is better catered to by the Ridgeline. The ridgeline is also a much better configuration for a hybrid powertrain than the 3rd gen Tacoma.

 

Tacoma could become a Ridgeline and most wouldn’t notice or complain. The majority buyer isn’t buying off road capability, they’re buying a midsize Toyota truck.

 

Toyota markets it as off-road oriented, look at the launch it had. Eventually if it did become a unibody FWD platform then I could definitely see a hybrid powertrain in it, but not in a body on frame pickup.

Lets hope thats a distant future.

 

But its faaaaake.

And it uses electricity.

 

Stanley Meyer is another excellent example...

 

I think we have a while before we have to worry about throwing out our beloved ICE trucks. I have no beef with electric cars but I am certainly letting other people be the beta testers. Curious to see how a Chevy Bolt holds up over the course of 30 years. Will you be able to pull a Nissan Leaf from a salvage yard and get it running in 25 years? A lot to observe. Gas is still cheap for us in the US and a better option in cold climates. I am sure the oil companies have some tricks up their sleeves we haven't seen yet as well.

 

Maybe for the masses, since when you think hybrid you think a soft handed Prius, but, I wouldn't, since hybrids are used in heavy industry...that and the Tacoma is a very light duty truck...it is barely above a car already, a hybrid is the next logical step. Heck that is why I started buying Toyotas 27 years ago, because it is car-like compared the 3/4-1 Tons I used to drive all those years ago. Plus I used to operate heavy equipment all day long, it was a pleasure to jump into something small, nimble and very car-like after running earth moving equipment all day.

The Tacoma is one of my favorite vehicles...but it is kinda funny how a lot of people on here view the Tacoma as this macho chest thumping man thing....it is barely a "real truck", in every sense of the word.

It is already expensive...so is everything else out there. Just nuts what a damn pick 'em truck is going for these days. As they say, if people are willing to pay for it, Charge 'em!

Yep, very few actually use the Tacoma to its' full potential. Why every re-incarnation of the original HiLux gets a little softer every refresh for the US consumer. Think there are 10 or so in my immediate neighborhood, and mine is the only one constantly covered in dirt...the others don't even see gravel by how pristine they are kept.

For the majority of owners they are grocery getters. Would say the same for the majority of trucks out there, not just the Tacoma...the pick up has become the family truckster. Why they have become, softer, refined and now have luxury options.

Most would be fine with a Ridgeline, but they have an image of tough guy ruggedness to uphold. Otherwise you're looked down upon and considered weak in this society. Just look how the Honda is mocked on here even...one group of car trucks making fun of another car truck... ha ha!

 

I'm not sure why batteries that are relatively maintenance free for about 10+ years would be considered a major maintenance issue. There are a lot of things you can break between years 0-10. Some people's batteries are going strong after 12+ years. Also, there are a lot of people that drive around 20K a year and can get some real fuel savings even after considering the added maintenance of the battery.

 

Something's got to make that free electricity...

And someone's got to pay for it...

 

It's funny you mention that, because I kind of feel like the lines between a mid-size and 1/2 ton+ are getting blurrier as time passes. Today's tacoma is pretty massive compared to the Toyota pickups of the 80s, which had the curb weight and length of a current-year Corolla. The F150 supercab of the 80s is pretty comparable in size to today's Tacoma, especially the AC and DCSB. Hell, a Silverado 2 door is smaller than a AC/DCSB.

As a city dweller that wants the utility of a truck in a more compact, tight-roads-friendly package, I would love to have a true compact truck that is less than 17 feet long. and is still capable of doing most of the things that a Taco is, both in terms of traversal through rough terrain, and carrying capacity. I would happily sacrifice some bed length for this. But alas, the market for this type of vehicle seems to be limited. When it comes time to get rid of my taco, I might be looking at a used GX/LX/Land Cruiser. That is, assuming they still are making them for the US market.

 

Dilithium Crystals...

 

Ever see an early 80's HiLux parked next to the latest Tacoma? The Taco is yuuuuuge!

Compact trucks aren't all that compact anymore. Roughly the same size as the fullsizes of yore, as you are saying.