Japanese car manufacturer Toyota has confirmed its intention to manufacture electric cars in Europe in the future. The existing plant in Kolin, Czech Republic, has been chosen for this purpose. Among other things, the plant is now to be expanded to include a battery assembly facility. However, it is not yet known which electric car will be manufactured in Kolin.
Rumours began circulating back in July that Toyota was planning to manufacture electric cars at its plant in Kolin. Until now, the plant has been producing the Aygo X small car and the slightly larger Yaris. Toyota has now confirmed that a battery-electric model will also be built at the car factory in the Czech Republic in the future. It is likely that this will be a compact SUV, but Toyota is not yet revealing any details about the model.
“This new battery electric vehicle production is testament to the dedication of our employees and the vision shared with the Czech Government to advance sustainable mobility and innovation. We fully appreciate this investment, the historical support and recognition of the Czech Republic, and our contribution to Czech society will continue as a ‘Best in Town’ company’,” said Yoshihiro Nakata, President and CEO, Toyota Motor Europe.
The factory, which is named Toyota Motor Manufacturing Czech Republic (TMMCZ), is to be expanded from 152,000 to 173,000 square metres for this purpose. The additional space will be used for a new battery assembly line, new painting and welding facilities, and for the production of the new vehicle itself. It is not yet known when production of the electric car will ramp up. The most recent rumour is that it will start in 2028.
The total investment volume for the plant expansion amounts to €680 million. Of this, €64 million will come from the Czech government as subsidies for battery assembly. The Czech government says it fought hard for the investment in the Czech Republic, negotiating several times with Toyota’s headquarters in Japan and its European headquarters in Brussels.
“The automotive industry makes up around 10% of our GDP, and if we want to keep it, we must systematically modernise it. It is exactly such projects that are crucial for the future of the Czech automotive industry – they enhance its competitiveness and support innovation while creating new qualified jobs. In this case, 245 new job opportunities will be created in the region. Foreign investments are the result of our long-term effort and we will work to ensure that the Czech Republic remains a strong country that can succeed in European and worldwide competition,” said Petr Fiala, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, at a ceremony announcing the plant expansion.
To date, the plant has a capacity of around 220,000 vehicles per year. The expansion of the plant for electric car production is intended to increase the site’s capacity, but Toyota has not specified a concrete new figure. Currently, 3,200 people work at the site, and 65 per cent of the components used come from suppliers directly in the Czech Republic.
The plant was founded in 2002 as a joint venture with Peugeot to build the small car family around the Toyota Aygo, Peugeot 107 (later 108) and Citroën C1. In 2021, the Japanese company took over the plant completely, and now only Toyotas are built there. In total, the former joint venture and Toyota itself have already invested 1.32 billion euros in the site.
toyota.eu
