Toyota Commits Multimillion-Dollar Investment to Further Expand Production of Electrified Vehicles

Two Toyota manufacturing plants receive $90 million, boost hybrid transaxle and engine capacity

BUFFALO, W.Va. (Feb. 11, 2022) – Before the ink dried on Toyota’s November 2021 investment in hybrid transaxle production in West Virginia, the demand for the vehicle electrification market was already growing.

To help meet that demand, today Toyota announced an additional $90 million investment for two of its U.S. manufacturing facilities:

Toyota West Virginia (TMMWV) - $73 million
This investment comes on the heels of the $240 million investment announced in November and will increase hybrid transaxle production capacity to 600,000 units per year. With this funding, TMMWV will also begin assembling an estimated 120,000 rear motor stators per year, a key component in electric motors. Currently, a team of more than 2,000 build approximately one million engines and transmissions annually for many of Toyota’s North American-assembled vehicles. With today’s announcement, Toyota has invested more than $2 billion in its West Virginia plant.

Toyota Tennessee (TMMTN) - $17 million
The Tennessee investment increases the plant’s capacity to cast hybrid transaxle cases and housings to 1.3 million per year. The nearly 400 employees at TMMTN currently produce a million transmission cases and housings and approximately 1.8 million engine blocks a year, parts needed for every Toyota and Lexus vehicle manufactured in North America. The added investment to the plant brings the to-date total investment to $389 million.

“Toyota is moving quickly toward an electrified future, and West Virginia will play a critical role in that journey,” said David Rosier, president of TMMWV. “Our team embraces this challenge, and it’s clear Toyota has faith in our ability and trusts us to take the company to new heights.”

Toyota has committed to offering an electrified option across its entire lineup of both Toyota and Lexus vehicles by 2025. Advancing the production of electrified vehicles and their components, including hybrid transaxles, plays an important part in helping Toyota achieve its goals for carbon neutrality.

“Toyota Tennessee is proud to play an important role in our company’s mission to provide customers with safer, reliable, electrified vehicles that advance a carbon-neutral future,” said Wes Woods, president of TMMTN. “Our highly skilled team is excited to expand production of the hybrid transaxle cases and housings.”

What is A Hybrid Transaxle?

Hybrid electric vehicle systems combine two separate sources of propulsion or motive power, such as an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, to take advantage of their respective benefits while also compensating for their respective limitations. While hybrid systems are more complex than a conventional vehicle and add vehicle mass due to the addition of components, the same system allows the vehicle to be more energy efficient as the hybrid transaxle can effectively transfer power seamlessly between the engine, electric motor and wheels in any number of combinations.

What is a Rear Motor Stator?

In an electric motor, the stator is a set of copper wire coils assembled to a stack of steel plates. The stator provides a magnetic field that drives the rotating arm and helps power the vehicle.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 39,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 32 million cars and trucks at our nine manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 10th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, a quarter of the company’s 2021 U.S. sales were electrified.

To help inspire the next generation for a career in STEM-based fields, including mobility, Toyota launched its virtual education hub at www.TourToyota.com with an immersive experience and chance to virtually visit many of our U.S. manufacturing facilities. The hub also includes a series of free STEM-based lessons and curriculum through Toyota USA Foundation partners, virtual field trips and more. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.