Toyota Picks North Carolina Site for EV Battery Production Plant

Toyota has unveiled plans to construct an electric vehicle battery plant in North Carolina, its first such facility in North America.

Company officials announced the move at a press conference Monday.

Toyota expects the facility to begin manufacturing in 2025 with four production lines that will produce enough lithium-ion batteries for 200,000 of its vehicles each year.

In the future, the facility could gain at least two additional production lines to facilitate supplies for up to 1.2 million vehicles annually.

Toyota is putting up $1.3 billion alongside its U.S. trading subsidiary to build the plant, which will be located in the Greensboro-Randolph area.

The move marks the first commitment under the $3.4 billion of financing that Toyota announced for U.S. battery production in October, which is expected to create some 1,750 American jobs.

Toyota’s announcement also catalyzes efforts by Greensboro-Randolph stakeholders since 2015 to lure an automaker or other large manufacturer to the region.

Spanning 1,500 acres of greenfield space, the development site possesses links to two East Coast ports which Toyota could use for freight imports or exports.

Toyota will also have access to four international airports, two interstate highways and national railroad connections.

Toyota said the availability of renewable energy was another major factor in its decision. By 2050, it aims to have stopped using all fossil fuels at the production facility.

“The future of mobility is electrification, and the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite is the ideal location to make that future a reality,” said Ted Ogawa, CEO of Toyota Motor North America, “North Carolina offers the right conditions for this investment, including the infrastructure, high-quality education system, access to a diverse and skilled workforce, and a welcoming environment for doing business.”