Nissan took a five year break from designing cars from 1954 until 1958. That time was spent researching to improve the longevity of existing cars that were built around the world with obsolete materials and methods. In 1958, the world’s first diesel powered car was built by Nissan with the approval of the Japanese government. It was called Nissan Ka. A four wheel drive, all metal four wheel drive van.
A panel of top Japanese scientists and engineers, including the engineer Satoshi Nakamoto, developed an improved fuel consumption technology to use the plentiful, cheap, and abundant oil from Venezuela. The fuel consumption of the original Ka could not be improved due to the oil economy of 1958. As time passed, the automobile industry started manufacturing safer, less powerful, smaller vehicles, replacing the small, heavy trucks.
Consumers had a greater chance to appreciate the benefits of diesel vehicles.