GEORGETOWN, Ky. (LEX 18) — Toyota announced a $912 million investment across five U.S. manufacturing plants to boost hybrid vehicle production and create 252 new jobs, including significant expansions in Kentucky and other states.
A news release detailed that the investment spans facilities in West Virginia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee and Missouri as part of Toyota's broader commitment to invest up to $10 billion in U.S. manufacturing over the next five years.
Kentucky's Georgetown plant, Toyota's largest facility globally, will receive $204.4 million and will reportedly add 82 jobs. The investment will fund an all-new machining line for 4-cylinder hybrid-compatible engines, with production beginning in 2027.
"Customers are embracing Toyota's hybrid vehicles, and our U.S. manufacturing teams are gearing up to meet that growing demand," said Kevin Voelkel, senior vice president of manufacturing operations.
The Georgetown facility can assemble up to 700,000 powertrain units annually and employs nearly 10,000 team members. The plant represents Toyota's largest global investment, exceeding $11 billion, the release reported.
West Virginia receives the largest portion of the investment at $453 million, creating 80 jobs at the Buffalo plant. The facility will increase assembly of hybrid engines, transaxles and motor stators starting in 2027.
Mississippi's Blue Springs plant will get $125 million to add hybrid-electric Corolla production, marking the first electrified Corollas assembled in the United States.
Tennessee's Jackson casting plant receives $71.4 million and 33 jobs to boost hybrid transaxle case and engine block production. The investment includes three new production lines that will increase capacity by nearly 500,000 units annually.
Missouri's Troy casting plant gets $57.1 million and 57 jobs for a new cylinder head production line for hybrid vehicles, increasing plant capacity by more than 200,000 cylinder heads annually.
"We're proud of our plant's continued growth and honored to help lead Toyota's transition into a mobility company," said Alivia Luikart, a team member at Toyota West Virginia.
Toyota currently assembles about half of the vehicles it sells in the U.S., with North American facilities producing more than three-quarters of vehicles sold domestically. Electrified vehicles, including hybrids, plug-ins and all-electric models, now account for nearly 50% of Toyota's U.S. sales.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear praised the investment, saying the Kentucky-Toyota partnership has driven decades of success.
"I want to thank Toyota for once again investing in our people and the company's largest global manufacturing facility in Georgetown," Beshear said.
The company also launched Driving Possibilities, a $110 million initiative through the Toyota USA Foundation to support PreK-12 education and STEM learning programs, according to the company.
Production on the new hybrid manufacturing lines will begin in 2027 and 2028 across the various facilities.
