Whereas Toyota helped lead the hybrid cost with its Prius, the corporate has been much less lively in EV manufacturing. However that may be prior to now, as Toyota has announced another $1.3 billion for its Kentucky facility, with a give attention to EVs. Specifically, the corporate is constructing a brand new three-row electrical SUV that will likely be obtainable for US clients.
Toyota’s Kentucky operation is its flagship facility, with almost 9,400 workers. “Right now’s announcement displays our dedication to automobile electrification and additional reinvesting in our US operations,” Kerry Creech, president of Toyota Kentucky, mentioned in a launch. “Generations of our crew members helped put together for this chance, and we’ll proceed main the cost into the long run by remaining true to who we’re as an organization and placing our individuals first for generations to return.”
Little is understood to this point concerning the three-row electrical SUV, as Toyota solely mentions it briefly in relation to the funding. Nonetheless, it follows the corporate’s prior announcement of its Urban SUV concept slated to launch in Europe this yr.
The $1.3 billion funding may even go in direction of making a battery pack meeting line at its Kentucky manufacturing unit (a separate manufacturing plant in North Carolina produces the batteries). Toyota has huge plans for its battery manufacturing, beforehand asserting three battery ranges targeted on larger efficiency and low value slated for 2026 and onward. The corporate can be engaged on its first solid-state batteries, which have the potential to cost an EV from 10 to 80 p.c in 10 minutes. Toyota’s bZ4X EV at the moment takes 32 minutes to take action.