On Wednesday, Toyota held a ceremony to mark the opening and start of production at its first North American electric battery manufacturing plant in Liberty, Randolph County.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy; US Sen. Ted Budd, R-NC; Gov. Josh Stein; Japanese ambassador to the US Shigeo Yamada; state Sens. Dave Craven, R-Randolph; Amy Galey, R-Alamance; state Reps. Brian Biggs, R-Randolph; Neal Jackson, R-Moore; officials from the Town of Liberty, Randolph County, and Guilford County; officials from the Greensboro-Randolph County Megasite Foundation; president and CEO of Toyota Motor North America, Tetsuo “Ted” Ogawa; and Toyota North Carolina president Don Stewart, were on hand to mark the occasion.
US Rep. Richard Hudson, NC-09, who was also supposed to be in attendance, was in Washington, DC, voting on a bill to end the federal government shutdown.
Stewart and Budd also acknowledged Jim Melvin, the late mayor of Greensboro, for his involvement in helping the plant come to fruition.
The company announced in 2021 that it planned to open the plant megasite, which spans 1,850 acres and is Toyota’s largest investment in the United States, at nearly $14 billion.
It currently has more than 2,500 workers, but the plans are to hire a total of 5,100 employees.
The plant, which is Toyota’s 11th manufacturing facility in the US, will feature 14 production lines, including four dedicated to supporting battery production for hybrid electric vehicles and 10 dedicated to supporting battery production for battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
The state-of-the-art facility features several shops that specialize in various stages of the lithium-ion battery manufacturing process. Production is divided into three main parts: electrode manufacturing, cell assembly, formation, and module.
According to a press release, batteries assembled at Toyota North Carolina are set to power the Camry HEV, Corolla Cross HEV, RAV4 HEV, and a yet-to-be-announced all-electric 3-row BEV — the first of its kind for Toyota to be built in the US. Currently, the plant ships HEV modules to both Toyota Kentucky and Mazda Toyota Manufacturing in Alabama. Additional production lines at Toyota’s North Carolina facility are scheduled to launch by 2030.
The plant also has an on-site childcare center, medical clinic, and pharmacy for its employees.
Toyota “no stranger” to North Carolina
Ogawa noted that the company is no stranger to North Carolina, with its Racing Development Team in Salisbury, Rowan County.
“So, we are putting even deeper roots in North Carolina,” he said, adding that the launch of the plant marks a pivotal moment in the future of electrification for Toyota and for US auto manufacturing and that over the next five years, the company is planning an additional investment of $10 billion, for a total of over $60 billion in the US to further grow its manufacturing capabilities.
“The almost $14 billion investment in this state-of-the-art facility is not just about building batteries, it’s about building a future, a future that reflects our deep belief in America, in North Carolina, and in creating a more sustainable world,” Ogawa said.
He said President Donald Trump acknowledged Toyota’s commitment to North Carolina and recognized the importance of continued growth and partnership between the company and the US economy.
Duffy said an announcement will be made in the near future about the US Department of Transportation’s new “very reasonable fuel efficiency standard,” which will allow auto manufacturers to produce more vehicles that are more cost-effective for the American consumer.
🚘 @Toyota's latest investment will bring over 3,000 AMERICAN jobs to North Carolina — all thanks to @POTUS! pic.twitter.com/VaNG3ZPRYs
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) November 12, 2025
He also applauded Toyota for listening to the consumer about what they want in a vehicle.
“Sometimes political pressure tells companies what they are supposed to do, but Toyota didn’t listen to political pressure,” Duffy said. “They listened to consumer pressure… I think the American people want hybrids, they want electric, but they also want the backup of a combustion engine, and those two things together to drive fuel efficiency is what Toyota has done and done it very well.”
Both Budd and Stein touted why Toyota and many others have selected North Carolina as the No. 1 state to do business.
“Those who have come in from out of state for a very special day, this is what the No. 1 state in the country for doing business in feels like,” Budd told the crowd.
Stein, a Democrat, mentioned his recent trip to the Southeast United States (SEUS)/Japan Annual Joint Meeting in Tokyo, Japan, and said he met with officials from at least 29 other Japanese companies in addition to meeting with executives from Toyota.
“We’re seeing our state become a national leader in the clean energy economy with Toyota leading the way,” he said. “To maintain this momentum, earlier this year I established an energy policy task force, which I’m proud to say Toyota is a part of. It’s about figuring out how we, as a state, can build on our economic momentum, keep electricity affordable as we meet growing energy demands, and maintain our goals to reduce carbon pollution.”
The governor noted that more than 100,000 North Carolinians are employed in clean tech jobs.
“Toyota is not alone here in North Carolina,” Yamada told those in attendance. “More than 400 Japanese companies are operating here. Japan is proud to be the leading investor and leading employer in this state.”
He also mentioned that President Trump had a highly successful meeting with the new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the first woman to hold the position in the country’s history, when he visited two weeks ago.
“The president’s visit underlined that Japan and the United States, our relationship is stronger than ever,” Yamada said. “We are steadfast security allies, and we are dynamic economic partners, and we are natural collaborators in advancing our economic security. And in that partnership, this facility stands as a proud symbol of our joint work: driving innovation, sustainability, and resilience.”
Stewart also announced that the Toyota USA Foundation will give a $2.7 million grant to the second phase of Driving Possibilities in Guilford County Schools and the Asheboro City School District.
Driving Possibilities is a national STEM education initiative that brings together community, education leaders, local and national nonprofits, and industry partners to co-create programs that strengthen communities and prepare young people for future STEM careers.
The post Toyota opens first US electric battery plant in North Carolina appeared first on Carolina Journal.