Diesel 'will shrink to 45pc of sales' in 2018

The latest Prius, 20 years on from original.

Toyota Ireland says that the diesel component of the Irish passenger car market in 2018 will shrink to 45pc of sales, writes Brian Byrne.

Chief Executive Steve Tormey also says that petrol hybrid sales will double to 7pc of the market during this year.

He predicts that by 2020 diesel will only represent 20pc of Irish car sales, while hybrid powertrains will by then be in one in four cars sold.

However, Mr Tormey says this prediction is very much dependent on the government’s continued recognition of the importance of hybrid as an obvious stepping stone to pure EVs, 'which will not be a mass consumer option until 2022 and beyond'.

Toyota is a pioneer of hybrid powertrains since the first Prius was launched in 1997.

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