Toyota aims to globalise electric car production
Toyota currently only produces electric cars in Japan and, through its joint ventures, in China. Expanding production to the US, Thailand and Argentina should help shield the company from exchange rate and import tariffs, as well as speed up delivery to customers, the report explains.
It is already known that Toyota is planning to expand its range of electric cars. The Japanese company recently introduced the C-HR+, an electric SUV coupé that will be sold in Japan, North America and Europe. Production is scheduled to start in September at the Takaoka plant in Japan. It is also known, for example, that production of a three-row electric SUV will start in Kentucky in 2026, to name two examples. In the case of the large electric SUV from Kentucky, the production base will also be expanded to include the USA.
According to Nikkei Asia, production of an electric version of the Hilux pickup is also scheduled to start in Thailand this October. This model will later also be built in Argentina, as South America is also a large market for these kinds of pickups. However, there are no details yet on the electric Hilux.
The Takaoka plant is also expected to manufacture a next-generation Lexus electric car from 2027. And at the Subaru Yajima plant, northwest of Tokyo, the start of production of a new electric SUV, developed jointly with Toyota, is planned for February 2026. Subaru already uses Toyota’s eTNGA, the platform of the BZ4X, for its Solterra. An electric SUV called the Urban Cruiser will soon be coming to Europe from the cooperation with Suzuki.
Toyota was able to increase its electric car sales by 34 per cent in 2024, but at 140,000 units, it remains at a rather low level for volume brands. Due to demand, Toyota has already reconsidered its long-term plans and, for example, slightly postponed the production of the three-row electric SUV in Kentucky. According to Nikkei Asia, Toyota still expects a production volume of 800,000 units in 2026 – 50 per cent below the previous forecast. In September 2024, the company was still expecting a million units in 2026.
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