Toyota opens first U.S. battery factory in North Carolina

Toyota has begun production at its new battery manufacturing plant in Liberty, North Carolina, marking the company’s first battery facility in the United States and its only one outside Japan. The new site represents a $13.9 billion investment and is expected to create up to 5,100 jobs as part of the company’s ongoing efforts to expand electrified vehicle production in North America.

The North Carolina facility is Toyota’s eleventh manufacturing plant in the U.S. and serves as a cornerstone of its “multi-pathway” electrification strategy, which includes hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery-electric vehicles. The plant’s opening also coincides with Toyota’s announcement of an additional $10 billion investment over the next five years to support mobility and manufacturing initiatives. That new commitment brings Toyota’s total U.S. investment to nearly $60 billion since beginning American operations nearly seven decades ago.

“Today’s launch of Toyota’s first U.S. battery plant and additional U.S. investment up to $10 billion marks a pivotal moment in our company’s history,” said Ted Ogawa, president and chief executive officer of Toyota Motor North America. “Toyota is a pioneer in electrified vehicles, and the company’s significant manufacturing investment in the U.S. and North Carolina further solidifies our commitment to team members, customers, dealers, communities, and suppliers.”

Large-scale manufacturing and production goals

The Liberty site spans roughly 1,850 acres and will have the capacity to produce 30 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of batteries annually when fully operational. Fourteen battery production lines will manufacture lithium-ion batteries for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), and fully battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). Toyota says the facility will function as its central hub for U.S. battery development and production, supporting a growing range of electrified models across the Toyota lineup.

At launch, the North Carolina plant is assembling hybrid battery modules for several models, including the Camry Hybrid, Corolla Cross Hybrid, and RAV4 Hybrid. The plant will also supply battery packs for an upcoming all-electric, three-row sport utility vehicle that Toyota plans to build in the U.S. The company has not yet disclosed details or specifications for that model. Toyota currently ships hybrid battery modules from Liberty to its Kentucky and Alabama manufacturing operations. Additional battery lines are scheduled to come online by 2030.

When construction is complete, Toyota says the facility will incorporate a range of amenities for employees, including an on-site childcare center, a medical clinic, a pharmacy, and a fitness center. Don Stewart, president of Toyota North Carolina, said the company intends the site to be more than a workplace.

“We’re excited to see this innovative facility come to life and to provide cutting-edge careers for more than 5,000 North Carolinians,” Stewart said. “Today’s celebration would not be complete without thanking our team members. Their dedication, commitment, and resolve have truly led us to this historic moment. We also are grateful for the support shown to us by the State of North Carolina, Randolph County, and the greater Triad region, a place we are all proud to call home.”

Federal and state officials praise the investment

The opening ceremony drew remarks from government officials at the federal and state levels. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy described Toyota’s investment as a significant development for domestic manufacturing.

“Under President Donald Trump’s leadership, America is open for business,” Duffy said. “Toyota’s move to expand production in North Carolina is the latest show of confidence in this administration’s efforts to reshore manufacturing, generate new, great paying jobs, and inject billions of dollars into the economy. We’re just getting started.”

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein also described the opening as a major moment for the state’s manufacturing and clean energy sectors. “Today marks a historic milestone as Toyota begins battery production right here in North Carolina,” Stein said. “This groundbreaking investment will create more than 5,000 new jobs for North Carolinians and will strengthen our commitment to leading the way in both the automotive supply chain and the clean energy economy.”

Other state leaders echoed that sentiment. U.S. Representative Richard Hudson said Toyota’s investment would deliver “high-paying jobs, new opportunities, and long-term growth” to the region. North Carolina Senate President Phil Berger called it a “monumental day” and noted Toyota’s influence even before the start of production. State House Speaker Destin Hall cited Toyota’s “historic $13.9 billion investment in Randolph County” as evidence of the state’s workforce strength and pro-growth policies.

Education and workforce development initiatives

Toyota’s expansion in North Carolina includes commitments beyond manufacturing. The company announced a $2.7 million grant through the Toyota USA Foundation to expand its “Driving Possibilities” program in Guilford County Schools and Asheboro City Schools. The program, first launched nationally in 2022, is designed to enhance science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and strengthen connections between schools, communities, and local industries.

“This incredible gift will provide our students and their families with life-changing opportunities,” said Wendy Poteat, president and CEO of shift_ed, a nonprofit organization coordinating the Driving Possibilities initiative in North Carolina. “Toyota has become a generous supporter and dedicated stakeholder in enriching our school districts by inspiring innovation and nurturing curiosity and creativity in our learners from classroom to career. Programs like these are essential in closing opportunity and exposure gaps, empowering students to reach their full potential.”

Driving Possibilities is funded primarily by the Toyota USA Foundation, with additional support from Toyota Motor North America and Toyota Financial Services. The company says it is committed to “being the best in town” by backing educational programs and workforce training throughout the Triad region.

Toyota’s electrification strategy

Toyota has sold more than 6.6 million electrified vehicles—including hybrids, plug-in hybrids, fuel cell vehicles, and battery-electrics—in the U.S. since 2000. The automaker currently assembles 11 hybrid and plug-in hybrid models domestically, including the RAV4 Hybrid, Highlander Hybrid, and Sienna Hybrid. The company has been criticized in recent years for its gradual approach to fully electric models, often emphasizing hybrids and plug-in hybrids as part of a broader carbon-reduction plan rather than a full transition to battery-electric vehicles.

The company’s executives have referred to this diversified strategy as a “multi-pathway” approach, arguing that different markets and customers require a mix of technologies. The new North Carolina battery plant represents an expansion of that approach, increasing Toyota’s capacity to produce key components for multiple types of electrified vehicles.

Toyota has not specified how much of the plant’s capacity will be dedicated to fully electric batteries versus hybrid batteries, but officials said production would ramp up through the decade as demand evolves. The company’s planned three-row electric SUV, to be built at its Kentucky plant, will be powered by batteries from the new North Carolina facility and represents one of Toyota’s most significant BEV launches in the U.S. market.

Broader impact on the Piedmont Triad region

The Liberty facility is expected to play a major role in regional economic development. Located in Randolph County within the Piedmont Triad area, the plant adds to a growing manufacturing corridor that includes aerospace, logistics, and advanced materials sectors. Toyota’s investment, local officials say, could attract suppliers and other industry partners to the region.

“Toyota’s investment is great news for North Carolina and our workers,” said Congressman Hudson. “This new facility will bring high-paying jobs, new opportunities, and long-term growth to our state.”

Governor Stein emphasized the long-term benefits of Toyota’s presence, noting that the project would support both economic and workforce development across the region. “This is about securing North Carolina’s place in the clean energy economy,” he said.

Toyota’s plant is already in partial operation and will continue to expand in phases through 2030. The company expects the site to eventually become a central hub for its North American electrification activities, producing batteries for vehicles sold across the U.S. market.