Toyota Postpones Japanese Battery Plant Following Reduction in EV Sales Goals | Carscoops

      Toyota has reduced its expectations for electric vehicle (EV) sales but remains dedicated to the development of the site.

      Toyota has postponed the construction of its battery plant in Japan due to slower growth in EV demand than anticipated.

      The delay at the Fukuoka battery facility may affect its planned operational launch date in 2028.

      The next generation of Toyota EVs is expected to provide driving ranges of up to 620 miles (1,000 km).

      Toyota is slightly slowing down on one of its significant EV projects in Japan. Although the company still intends to proceed with a new battery plant, construction will not commence as soon as initially planned. This pause is part of Toyota's adjustment to its EV strategy.

      The plant is intended for Japan's Fukuoka prefecture, and according to local Governor Seitaro Hattori, a consensus on the precise location was expected to be reached in April. That timeline has now been pushed back to sometime in the fall. Although the facility was slated to begin operations in 2028, this delay could also push that timeline further back.

      Toyota remains committed to constructing the facility, as reported by Nikkei Asia, but is currently reassessing what will be produced there. Originally, the plant was designed to manufacture batteries for Toyota’s next generation of electric vehicles, some of which aim for a range of up to 620 miles (1,000 kilometers).

      This update indicates a broader re-evaluation of Toyota’s EV goals. While global sales of electric cars are still increasing, the pace is not as rapid as some manufacturers had expected. This discrepancy between expectations and reality is leading the company to rethink its goals.

      In 2022, Toyota announced a goal to sell 1.5 million EVs annually by 2026, but that figure was reduced to 1 million in 2023, and then again to just 800,000 units. The company has not fully abandoned EVs; it is merely adjusting its targets amid a market that is proving to be more intricate and unpredictable than initially thought.

      Earlier this month, Toyota launched a new Chinese subsidiary for Lexus, which will focus on developing and manufacturing EVs and batteries at a plant in Shanghai, producing several models exclusively for the Chinese market.