Toyota will begin manufacturing electric vehicles in Europe from 2028, starting with a new battery electric SUV at its plant in Kolín, Czech Republic, according to a report from Japanese news outlet ttps://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Automobiles/Electric-vehicles/Toyota-to-make-EVs-in-Czech-Republic-its-first-in-Europe. The move marks the automaker’s first EV production within the region and is part of a broader strategy to meet tightening European Union emissions regulations and achieve carbon neutrality in Europe by 2035.
Production will take place at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Czech Republic (TMMCZ), where the company reportedly plans to build approximately 100,000 EVs annually. The Czech facility will produce a new electric SUV model, contributing to Toyota’s growing battery electric vehicle (BEV) portfolio. By 2026, the company plans to offer 14 BEV models in Europe, including a refreshed bZ4X and the recently unveiled C-HR+ SUV.
“Toyota aims to achieve carbon neutrality in Europe by 2035,” the Nikkei article stated, underscoring the company’s long-term sustainability targets. The report added that “EVs currently account for less than 2% of its overall sales,” highlighting the scale of Toyota’s transition to electric mobility in the region.
Globally, Toyota has previously outlined plans to triple its EV lineup by 2027 and increase electric vehicle production to around one million units—seven times higher than in 2024. However, in response to market demand and logistical considerations, Toyota has adjusted some targets, recently postponing production of a three-row electric SUV planned for Kentucky. The company now expects to produce 800,000 EVs worldwide in 2026, down from a previously forecasted one million units.
Despite these adjustments, the move toward local production in Europe reflects Toyota’s focus on long-term environmental and regulatory readiness. “Toyota apparently sees local production as the best way to prepare for its long-term environmental policy,” Nikkei reported. The Kolín plant investment aims to reduce logistics emissions, enhance cost efficiency, and help the company meet future fleet-wide CO₂ limits and Euro 7 emissions standards.
TMMCZ, originally established in 2002 as a joint venture with PSA Group, became a wholly owned Toyota subsidiary in 2021. The plant currently manufactures the Toyota Aygo X and Toyota Yaris, and its expansion into EVs marks a significant evolution in Toyota’s European manufacturing strategy.