LIBERTY, North Carolina: Toyota has launched its all-new US$14 billion (RM57.8bil) battery plant in Liberty, North Carolina where the Japanese automaker also announced an additional investment of up to US$10 billion (RM41.27bil) over the next five years.
It is Toyota’s 11th US plant and the company’s first and only battery plant outside of Japan.
The battery plant will create up to 5,100 new American jobs.
This will bring the company’s total US investment to nearly US$60 billion (RM247.6bil) since beginning operations here nearly 70 years ago.
“Today’s launch of Toyota’s first US battery plant and additional US investment up to US$10 billion (RM41.27bil) marks a pivotal moment in our company’s history,” said Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) president and CEO Ted Ogawa.
The 1,850-acre mega site can produce 30GWh annually at full capacity.
It will serve as Toyota’s hub for developing and producing lithium-ion batteries needed for its ever-growing portfolio of electrified vehicles.
The plant will house 14 battery production lines supporting hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).
“Today marks a historic milestone as Toyota begins battery production right here in North Carolina,” said Governor Josh Stein.
“This groundbreaking investment will create more than 5,000 new jobs for North Carolinians and will strengthen our commitment to leading the way in both the automotive supply chain and the clean energy economy.”
Batteries assembled at Toyota North Carolina are set to power the Camry HEV, Corolla Cross HEV, RAV4 HEV, and a yet-to-be-announced all-electric three-row BEV — the first of its kind for Toyota to be built in the US.
Currently, the plant ships HEV modules to both Toyota Kentucky and Mazda Toyota Manufacturing in Alabama.
Additional production lines at Toyota North Carolina are set to launch by 2030.
Once construction is complete, the new facility will not just be a place of work, but also a vibrant community, featuring a range of amenities for team members, including on-site childcare, a pharmacy, a medical clinic and a fitness centre.
