Toyota officially opened its massive $13.9 billion battery plant in North Carolina on Wednesday, proving once again that when companies see stability and real opportunity in America, they don’t hesitate to invest big. And just to make the point crystal clear, Toyota also announced an additional $10 billion commitment to strengthen U.S. manufacturing over the next five years. Looks like some folks still believe in American workers — imagine that.
The 1,850-acre facility in Liberty, North Carolina is Toyota’s first battery plant outside Japan, and it’s expected to create up to 5,100 new American jobs. Real jobs, by the way — not the imaginary kind that magically appear in federal reports every election season.
Ted Ogawa, CEO of Toyota Motor North America, called the launch a “pivotal moment” in the company’s history. And he’s not wrong. Toyota has long led the pack in electrified vehicles, but choosing to build this plant here, on American soil, speaks louder than any speech. Commitment to workers, communities, suppliers… you know, the usual ingredients that keep this country strong.
With the new investment, Toyota’s total U.S. spending will reach nearly $60 billion since it first began operating in America almost 70 years ago. Hard to deny that when America projects strength, the world responds with confidence — but hey, what do we know?
Once the new facility reaches full capacity, it will produce 30 gigawatt-hours of lithium-ion batteries annually to power Toyota’s hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fully electric vehicles. The plant includes 14 production lines dedicated to powering models like the Camry HEV, Corolla Cross HEV, RAV4 HEV, and an all-electric three-row BEV that will be the first of its kind built in the U.S. Additional production lines are set to come online by 2030.
And Toyota isn’t just building a factory — they’re building a community. The site will include childcare, a medical clinic, a pharmacy, and even a fitness center for workers. A functioning, supportive workplace environment… almost feels like a reminder of how things should be done.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy praised the announcement, calling it another sign of confidence in the administration’s efforts to reshore manufacturing and create high-paying jobs. Well, it’s always interesting to see Washington take credit for private-sector success — but at the end of the day, Toyota putting billions into America speaks for itself.
In a time when plenty of people talk about progress but few actually build it, Toyota chose to invest, hire, and expand right here at home. And that gives us something genuinely positive to end on: when America leads, America wins. Always has, always will.
