Toyota will build its new three-row battery-electric SUV in the United States thanks to $1.3 billion worth of new investments at its factory in Georgetown, Kentucky.
In addition to the investments supporting the assembly of BEVs at the site, they will help to fund a battery pack assembly line that will use batteries supplied by Toyota Battery Manufacturing in North Carolina. Toyota’s Kentucky site currently employs 4,900 people, covers 9.1 million square feet, and currently supports production of the Camry, Camry Hybrid, RAV4 Hybrid, and Lexus ES, in addition to four- and six-cylinder engines.
“Today’s announcement reflects our commitment to vehicle electrification and further reinvesting in our U.S. operations,” Toyota Kentucky president Kerry Creech said. “Generations of our team members helped prepare for this opportunity, and we will continue leading the charge into the future by remaining true to who we are as a company and putting our people first for generations to come.”
Limited details are known about Toyota’s planned three-row electric SUV. It is tentatively known as the bZ5x and will take design inspiration from the bZ Large SUV concept unveiled in December 2021. It should be similar in size to the Kia EV9 and is expected to spawn a Subaru-badged version that Carscoops understands will likely also be manufactured at the Kentucky site. Lexus is also expected to get its own version of the SUV. Underpinning the new model will be a stretched version of the existing e-TNGA architecture and it is tipped to be offered with a dual-motor variant and a larger battery pack than the 71.4 kWh unit of the smaller bZ4x.
“You cannot think of the Bluegrass region and Scott County without thinking of Toyota,” Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear added in a statement. “We are grateful that they continue to invest in our commonwealth and continue to set a standard for high-quality, well-paying jobs for our citizens. Thank you, Toyota for yet another $1 billion-plus investment coming to Kentucky.”
