Toyota expands electric vehicle lineup in the US and prepares to launch production at a plant in Kentucky
Toyota Motor Corp is expanding its presence in the U.S. all-electric vehicle segment, adding a fifth imported electric vehicle this month. At the same time, the company plans to launch a new American-made model later this year, Bloomberg reported.
In late 2026, the company will begin production of its first U.S.-assembled electric vehicle at its Kentucky plant. The company will then launch another model in 2027. As a result, Toyota’s battery electric vehicle lineup in the US market will grow to seven models, making the brand’s offering one of the broadest in this segment.
The situation in the electric vehicle market remains difficult, as after the Trump administration abolished tax breaks last year, the share of such cars decreased significantly – from a maximum of 10.5% to the current 5.8%.
Despite this, Toyota is counting on a recovery in demand. The company believes that rising fuel prices due to the conflict in Iran, as well as consumers gradually getting used to new technologies, will stimulate sales again.
Honda recently abandoned plans for three models and is preparing for significant losses, while General Motors and Ford have significantly reduced their ambitions.
Even Tesla, which remains the market leader, is narrowing its model range, discontinuing production of the Model X and Model S. Toyota’s executive vice president of North America, Mark Templin, believes that the retreat of other manufacturers creates new opportunities for the company.
Toyota is also counting on so-called “boomerang customers.” These are buyers who previously abandoned the environmentally friendly Prius in favor of Tesla, but now may return to the brand if they receive worthy electric alternatives.
After testing new prototypes in Japan, Toyota management confidently calls future models “Tesla killers” and expects to gain the same share in the electric car market that the company has in the traditional car segment.
