Sometimes the battery industry can feel like it’s standing still, other times a week can be a long time— and so within a few days of rumours Toyota was to build a battery plant in North Carolina, US surfacing, the vehicle OEM had confirmed they were true.
Toyota Motor North America will build a $1.29 billion automotive battery manufacturing plant— named, Toyota Battery Manufacturing, North Carolina (TBMNC)— at the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite— as reported by BEST last week.
The plant will have four production lines, each capable of delivering enough lithium-ion batteries for 200,000 vehicles, when it comes online in 2025.
Toyota plans to expand to at least six production lines for a combined total of up to 1.2 million vehicles per year.
Ted Ogawa, CEO of Toyota Motor North America, said: “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.”
Confirming the rumours
Last week, BEST reported that Toyota was rumoured to be building the plant in North Carolina after details set out in a budget bill by the state all pointed to reports of the location being true.
On 18 November, North Carolina governor Roy Cooper signed into law a budget bill that enabled the state to offer $135 million in aid to an “unspecified manufacturer” that was interested in the Greensboro industrial park and would commit to “invest at least $1 billion in private funds and create at least 1,750 eligible positions”.
A Toyota spokesman told BEST the company’s investment would “create 1,750 new American jobs”.
