Toyota Motor North America announced an investment of $1.3 billion in an Electric Vehicles (EVs) and battery manufacturing facility in Georgetown, Kentucky. Toyota Kentucky is the company’s largest manufacturing plant, with around 9,400 employees, and has been operational since 1986.
The facility will accommodate the assembly of a new electric SUV model with three seating rows for the US market. In addition, it will include an assembly line for a battery pack for components that are produced at Toyota’s battery facility in Greensboro, North Carolina.
As said by the president of Toyota Kentucky, Kerry Creech, “Today’s announcement reflects our commitment to vehicle electrification and further reinvesting in our U.S. operations,” adding that “Generations of our team members helped prepare for this opportunity, and we will continue leading the charge into the future by remaining true to who we are as a company and putting our people first for generations to come.”
The facility was the first US car manufacturing plant that produced hybrid vehicles back in 2006 and can now produce up to 550,000 vehicles annually. Since 2021, the total investment in Kentucky has reached almost $10 billion. Plans of the company for the future also include an investment of over $70 billion in electrification by 2030.
Chris Cohelia, group leader at Toyota Kentucky, said “Every investment Toyota makes is proof of its commitment to employees,” adding “I joined this company 26 years ago as a production team member. Job stability, competitive pay, and opportunities for growth are all reasons I love working here. It’s also exciting to be a part of the team building Toyota’s first battery electric vehicle in North America.”
Founded in 1937, Toyota Motor Corporation is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It is also the largest automobile manufacturer in the world. In the US, the company operates 13 manufacturing facilities in addition to a joint venture plant with Mazda.
