Toyota for the first time is producing hybrid-electric powertrains outside of Asia.
Hybrid-electric transaxles are rolling off the production lines at Toyota Motor Mfg. Poland’s Wałbrzych (TMMP) plant.
The transaxles will be fitted to the new Corolla Hybrid, built at Toyota’s Burnaston factory in the U.K., and the C-HR Hybrid, produced in Turkey. This move marks the automaker’s introduction of its hybrid technology, together with its new global architecture platform, to its Polish manufacturing facilities.
TMMP is the first plant outside Asia, and only the second outside Japan, to be entrusted with production of its hybrid transaxles, which coordinate synergies between the hybrid system’s electric motors and combustion engine. This development has created 600 new jobs and brought Toyota’s cumulative investment in its Polish operations to more than €1 billion ($1.14 billion).
“We started Europe’s journey towards electrification with the introduction of our first hybrid model here in 2000,” says Johan van Zyl, president and CEO of Toyota Motor Europe.
“Today, almost one in two of our new vehicle sales are hybrids and the level continues to grow. Hybrid technology is our key differentiator. The continued growth of hybrid in Europe allows the expansion of local production of hybrid components.”
