Toyota is committing to building a new battery-electric vehicle for the first time in Europe, alongside its internal-combustion-engine and hybrid products.
The automaker will establish its first BEV production line at its plant in Kolin, Czech Republic, where it currently makes the Toyota Aygo X and Yaris hybrid for European markets.
A €680 million ($796 million) investment is being made by the automaker, helped by the Czech government in expanding the plant’s production space from 152,000 sq.-m (1.64 million sq.-ft.) to 173,000 sq.-m (1.86 million sq.-ft.) to accommodate the new vehicle, its battery packs and new paint and welding shops.
While no date has yet been set for production of the new BEV, Toyota suggests the move is in line with its multi-pathway strategy “designed to achieve its objective of carbon neutral operations in Europe by 2040,” the automaker says.
“This advanced technology project will enhance our presence in the European market and contribute alongside our other solutions towards more efficient transportation,” Yoshihiro Nakata, president and CEO, Toyota Motor Europe, says in a company statement.
