Toyota officially opened its new battery plant in Liberty, North Carolina. This new plant is the company’s first and only battery manufacturing operation outside of Japan. It’s also Toyota’s 11th U.S. plant. Additionally, the $14 billion project is expected to create 5,100 new jobs.
Toyota emphasized its focus on the U.S. Market, particularly underscoring its nearly 70 years of operations. Additionally, the company announced its intention to invest an additional $10 billion over the next five years in future mobility efforts.
Right now, the future heavily revolves around electric vehicles and making them commercially reliable. That, of course, starts with the technology that powers them.
A New Hub For Electric Vehicle Battery Production
Toyota’s new site is 1,850 acres. It is designed to serve as Toyota’s central hub for the development and production of lithium-ion batteries. Despite global efforts to develop a more efficient battery, lithium-ion batteries currently serve as the most essential component of electric vehicles, which Toyota has a growing catalogue of. Even Toyota is researching the potential for solid-state batteries.
Needless to say, until new battery technology is commercially available, lithium-ion is the proven technology for EVs.
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Once Toyota’s site is fully operational, it is expected to house 14 battery production lines with an annual capacity of 30 GWh, enough power to electrify 33 million homes for an hour. The batteries assembled at Toyota North Carolina will power some of the company’s most notable EVs, including the Camry HEV, Corolla Cross HEV, and RAV4 HEV.
Additionally, the batteries will power an all-electric three-row Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) that the company has yet to announce.
The company believes the plant’s economic and manufacturing impact will be substantial for the region. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein emphasized that sentiment and the number of jobs it will potentially bring to the rural suburb.
“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,” Governor Stein said.
Additionally, the site has plans to feature amenities that go beyond the production line. For example, plans include on-site childcare, a medical clinic, and a fitness center.