- Planned to open in 2025, lab will evaluate and support
development of electric vehicle batteries, from cell through
pack
- Facility to support Toyota manufacturing at plants in
North Carolina and Kentucky
- Opportunities for capabilities expansion as technology and
business needs advance
YORK
TOWNSHIP, Mich., June 8, 2023
/PRNewswire/ -- Toyota Motor North America, Inc. (Toyota) announced
today that it will invest nearly $50
million to construct a new laboratory facility at its North
American R&D headquarters in York
Township, Mich. to evaluate batteries for electric and
electrified vehicles in North
America. As part of its evaluation process, the new
Michigan battery lab will ensure
that Toyota's batteries meet North American customer requirements
by confirming performance, quality and durability of automotive
batteries made by Toyota. Operations at the new battery lab are
expected to begin in 2025.
"This new investment in our North American R&D operation,
which has been a key pillar of the Michigan automotive industry for more than 50
years, shows Toyota's directional shift towards electrification for
all," said Shinichi Yasui, executive
vice president of Toyota Motor North America (TMNA), Research and
Development. "By adding these critical evaluation capabilities
around automotive batteries, our team is positioned to better serve
the needs of our customers, including Toyota Battery Manufacturing
North Carolina and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, the latter
of which will soon be assembling the recently announced all-new,
three-row, battery electric SUV."
The team will also work with other North American partner
suppliers to incorporate locally-produced battery parts and
materials in support of Toyota's multi-pathway approach to reducing
carbon emissions through its portfolio of hybrid, plug-in hybrid,
fuel cell and battery electric product offerings.
Beyond battery development, other lab activities are expected to
include evaluations using Level 2 and Level 3 charging as well as
connectivity to power sources and infrastructure. Further, chassis
dynamometers at both Toyota R&D campuses in York Township and Ann Arbor are being upgraded to accommodate
full battery electric vehicle evaluations.
"With increasing production for electrification coming to
North America, it's important to
have local supporting infrastructure, but more importantly it
enables us to invest in team members and technology development,"
said Jordan Choby, group vice
president of Powertrain at TMNA R&D. "This new facility also
enables us to experiment and pursue new opportunities as technology
and business needs advance."
In addition to working with current battery production, lab
engineers will explore new battery configurations for future
products. Their research may also contribute to Toyota's
development of new electrified vehicle architectures. Toyota will
explore further expansion of the lab's capabilities and
opportunities for supporting the needs of the battery and BEV
ecosystem.
The new facility will be included in Toyota's enrollment in DTE
Energy's MIGreenPower program. This voluntary renewable energy
program enables all of Toyota's Research and Development operations
in Michigan to attribute 100% of
its electricity use to renewable energy projects starting in
2026.
"Today's investment by Toyota demonstrates Michigan's leadership in pioneering the future
of mobility," said Governor Whitmer. "The $50 million investment in a new laboratory
facility to evaluate electric vehicle batteries will create
high-skilled, good-paying jobs in Saline and support efforts to help electric
vehicles run longer and go farther than ever before. Last week, I
announced the Make It In Michigan plan, a strategy to compete for
projects, invest in people, and revitalize places. Let's continue
working to grow Michigan's
economy, bring supply chains home, and lead the future of batteries
and electric vehicles."
A pioneer in electrified vehicles, Toyota has put more than 23
million hybrids, plug-in hybrids, fuel cell electric and battery
electric vehicles on the road globally. The company currently
offers 22 electrified vehicle options in the U.S. across the Toyota
and Lexus brands, the most among any automaker. By 2025, the
company plans to have an electrified option available for every
Toyota and Lexus model globally.
Over the last two years, the company has invested more than
$8 billion in its U.S. manufacturing
operations primarily to support its product electrification
efforts. On a global scale, Toyota plans to invest more than
$70 billion in vehicle
electrification by 2030.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in
North America for more than 65
years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation
mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than
1,800 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs more than 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the
design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and
trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota's 14th plant
in North Carolina will begin to
manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With
more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker,
Toyota currently offers 22 electrified options.
Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights
the way it partners with community, civic, academic and
governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing
mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move,
anything is possible. For more information about Toyota,
visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.
TMNA R&D
For more than 50 years, Toyota Motor North America Research
& Development (TMNA R&D) has led engineering for several of
the best-selling Toyota vehicles on U.S. roads. Teams are now
creating both next-generation vehicles and new and advanced
mobility concepts that can better move people, goods and
information. Toyota's innovation has produced more patents from the
United States Patent and Trademark Office than any other automaker
for the past 9 consecutive years (3,056 in 2022). Centered in
Ann Arbor, Michigan, TMNA R&D
is pursuing Toyota's mission to "Produce Happiness for All" by
making life safer, easier and more enjoyable. Globally, Toyota
spends approximately $1 million per
hour on R&D to ensure that Toyota rapidly and continuously
develops cutting-edge, high-quality, and appealing vehicles.
Media Contacts:
Rick
Bourgoise
richard.bourgoise@toyota.com
(313) 405-5972
Olivia Boisineau
olivia.boisineau@toyota.com
(734) 834-0885
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SOURCE Toyota Motor North America