Toyota has officially started production at its new $13.9 billion battery plant in Liberty, North Carolina, and says it plans to invest up to $10 billion more in its U.S. operations over the next five years. The company had not confirmed that number when President Donald Trump mentioned it last month, but Toyota is now putting a firm figure behind its plans.
The North Carolina facility is Toyota’s first in-house battery plant outside of Japan. Batteries built there will power hybrid versions of the Camry, Corolla Cross and RAV4, along with a future three-row electric vehicle that has not yet been announced. Toyota says the site will eventually include 14 production lines and employ about 5,000 people.
“Today’s launch of Toyota’s first U.S. battery plant and additional U.S. investment up to $10 billion marks a pivotal moment in our company’s history,” said Ted Ogawa, CEO of Toyota Motor North America. “Toyota is a pioneer in electrified vehicles, and the company’s significant manufacturing investment in the U.S. and North Carolina further solidifies our commitment to team members, customers, dealers, communities, and suppliers.”
Â
Toyota first announced the North Carolina plant in 2021, as part of its push to bring more battery production to the United States. Since then, the electric-vehicle market has cooled, while hybrid demand has jumped. Those shifts have played to Toyota’s strengths, with the company holding more than half of the hybrid market this year, according to Motor Intelligence.
The investment also lands during a period of changing federal rules on fuel economy and electric-vehicle tax credits. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy praised the company for expanding U.S. production. “Toyota’s move to expand production in North Carolina is the latest show of confidence in this administration’s efforts to reshore manufacturing, generate new, great-paying jobs and inject billions of dollars into the economy,” he said.
Toyota says more details about the $10 billion investment will be shared as new projects are finalized. For now, the company is focused on ramping up battery output and supporting hybrid production at plants in Kentucky and at the Mazda Toyota joint venture in Alabama.
“With this plant and our continued investment, we remain committed to our multi-pathway approach, offering fuel-efficient gas engines, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, battery electronics and fuel cell electronics,” Ogawa said.
