Toyota targets 3.5 million EV sales with new Kyushu Battery plant for Lexus

Toyota Motor Corporation, the world’s leading automaker, is planning to build a new battery plant for electric vehicles (EVs) in Fukuoka, located in Japan’s southwestern Kyushu region. This move aims to boost the production of batteries for its luxury Lexus brand, according to a report by Nikkei.

The plant is expected to play a pivotal role in Toyota’s strategy to make Kyushu a key hub for its EV supply chain and a significant export base for the Asian market. “We are continuously exploring ways to enhance our EV battery production capacity,” a Toyota spokesperson stated, though the company has yet to officially announce the project.

Lexus vehicles are currently manufactured at the Miyata plant, operated by Toyota’s subsidiary, Toyota Motor Kyushu. The new battery facility will be managed by Primearth EV Energy, another Toyota subsidiary specializing in batteries for hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and fully electric vehicles.

Toyota has ambitious plans to launch EVs with next-generation batteries globally from 2026, produced by its dedicated EV unit, BEV Factory. The company aims to sell 3.5 million EVs annually by 2030, with BEV Factory expected to contribute nearly half of these sales. In 2023, Toyota sold 104,000 EVs, marking a significant milestone in its transition towards sustainable mobility.

Details on the financial investment and construction timeline for the new battery plant remain undisclosed. However, this initiative is part of Toyota’s broader efforts to strengthen its position in the rapidly growing EV market.

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