Toyota and Lexus are developing turbocharged engines but now it seems that they might not be as important as originally thought.
Speaking to one of the auto websites, Toyota powertrain guru Koei Saga said that turbocharged engines might not spread across the company’s lineup. Instead, he was of the belief that larger displacement Atkinson-cycle engines are a better option because they combine high performance with impressive fuel efficiency.
Saga also confirmed that the company is considering a water or steam injection turbo engine to improve efficiency. He did state that still a lot of work needs to be done before it could reach mass production. However in the short term, we can expect more continuously variable transmissions especially in smaller models though Saga has said that the next-generation Prius Plug-in must have a lithium-ion battery.
Despite being a strong supporter of fuel saving technologies, Saga clearly states that no large scale automaker would think of developing EVs if it weren’t for government regulations. He further expressed his doubts about Tesla’s business model as it depends a lot on targeting rich users for whom this would be their third or fourth car.
