Pollution is the short answer, diesel engines emit far more pollutants than petrol engines and with clean air targets to meet many cities around the world are drawing up plans to ban diesel cars from entering city centres. In 20 years or so industry analysts believe diesel engines will no longer be available. The trend will be to switch back to petrol and phase in technologies such as hybrids and all electric powered cars. One such company benefiting from pushing for hybrid power is Toyota. Toyota expect hybrid models to account for more than half of it’s annual sales in Europe by the end of the decade. Demand for the hybrid powered Prius has always been greater in the US than it has been in Europe. One reason is the low cost of fuel. In Europe more than half of the vehicles sold are diesel powered, however VW’s emissions cheating scandal could inadvertently spell the beginning of the end for the diesel engine. Toyota is still a small player in Europe but it’s strategic planing and going ahead with Hybrid powertrains could see it’s long term strategy on investing in hybrid tech pay off. Sales of Toyota’s hybrid models have jumped 40 percent on the back of VW’s emissions humiliation but in Europe many car buyers have yet to realise that diesels may well be on the way out. While the petrol engine will remain industry analysts predict the diesel engine will be replaced by petrol-hybrids and pure electric cars in a bid to meet super strict anti pollution laws. For the last decade Toyota has been focusing it’s retail selling strategy on hybrids despite the lack of take up. But that long term out look seems now to have been an advantage. Toyota predicts to be selling 400,000 – 500,000 hybrids in Europe per year by the end of the decade. Toyota’s newest model, the C-HR will not be offered with a diesel engine option, Hybrid orders account for 75 percent of pre-orders. Mercedes, BMW and Volkswagen and Volvo are just a few of the manufactures who have begun to realise the sands are beginning to shift towards a none diesel future.