Toyota Motor Corporation is contemplating the construction of a new electric vehicle (EV) battery plant on Kyushu island, Japan. The plant, to be operated by Toyota’s subsidiary Primearth EV Energy, is anticipated to be located in the Shin-Matsuyama Seaside Industrial Park in Kanda, Fukuoka Prefecture, according to a report by Nikkei.
The proposed site is approximately 40 kilometers from Toyota’s Miyata auto plant in Miyawaka city, which currently produces Lexus models including the UX, NX, RX, and ES. This proximity could facilitate the integration of battery production with vehicle manufacturing, potentially leading to the assembly of EVs at the Miyata plant in the future.
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Toyota is expected to finalize the construction schedule and other details of the plant soon. The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry may provide subsidies for the project under the Economic Security Promotion Act.
The automaker aims to achieve annual sales of 3.5 million EVs by 2030, with Lexus playing a pivotal role in this strategy. In a related development, Toyota is considering establishing a Lexus electrified vehicle plant in Shanghai, China.
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Primearth EV Energy, originally a joint venture between Toyota and Panasonic, became a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota in March after the automaker acquired Panasonic’s 19.5 percent stake. The subsidiary will be renamed Toyota Battery on October 1, with a new brand logo already unveiled.
Kyushu, often referred to as Japan’s Silicon Valley, is a hub for automotive and semiconductor manufacturing and is integral to Toyota’s EV supply chain. Earlier this year, Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC inaugurated a new factory in Kikuyo, Kumamoto Prefecture, with Toyota investing in this facility.
