Toyota Lays Out $912M Plan to Boost US Hybrid Production
Factories in West Virginia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee and Missouri Will Get 252 New Jobs
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Toyota Motor Corp. detailed plans to invest $912 million to increase output of hybrid components and vehicles across five states, part of a broader $10 billion commitment in the U.S. over the next five years.
Factories in West Virginia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee and Missouri will see 252 new jobs as a result of the initiative, the .
The move underscores Toyota’s bet that hybrids will dominate U.S. sales in the near term as consumers balk at high EV prices following the end of tax credits. The investment may also strengthen the Japanese carmaker’s foothold in the market as Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and other U.S. carmakers scale back EV ambitions and revisit hybrid strategies to meet shifting demand and emissions targets.
Toyota now offers hybrid-only versions of theRAV4 compact crossoverand Camry sedan in the U.S., thanks to robust demand for gasoline-electric powertrains with better mileage.
The Japanese manufacturer, which has long advocated for a more measured approach to sell a broad range of vehicle options for different markets, said that its “philosophy is to build where we sell,” and that its North American manufacturing sites assemble some 76% of the vehicles sold in the U.S.
Last week, Toyota confirmed it would boost spending in the U.S., after President Donald Trump said in October that the carmaker planned a large-scale investment. Trump has been pushing to shift more production to the U.S. and has imposed punitive tariffs on many car parts and vehicles sourced from abroad.
Toyota imported about half of the vehicles it sold in the U.S. last year, mostly from Canada and Mexico but also including some 281,000 vehicles made in Japan.
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