The Toyota battery plant south of Greensboro is two years away from opening. But the Japanese automaker has already announced plans to expand the facility, which will make batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles.
Two production lines at the Randolph County plant will start making batteries in 2025. On Tuesday, the company said it will add eight more lines that will be up and running by 2030. The plant will support Toyota’s massive vehicle assembly factory in Georgetown, Kentucky.
Sean Suggs, president of Toyota North Carolina, said the automaker will hire 3,000 workers, in addition to the 1,700 positions already announced.
"These jobs will range from logistic jobs or technician jobs to maintenance jobs to operators,” Suggs said. “We're going to have a multi-faceted group of team members that will be working at our site."
Suggs said Toyota's goal is to offer electric options for every model it sells, in addition to plug-in, hybrid and gas-powered vehicles.
“It supports our multi-pathway approach of having customers with options of hybrid plug-in, hybrid, ice or combustible engine as well as a full electric battery,” he said. “So, this follows right in line with our direction of making sure we support customer demand."
The plant, under construction at the Greensboro-Randolph mega-site in Liberty, was announced in 2021. At the time, state officials promised at least $79 million in incentives, along with $65 million in property tax rebates from Randolph County.
Suggs said Toyota did not ask for additional incentives for expansion.
“We think we have the package that we need," Suggs said. "I don't anticipate asking for any more incentive from the state."
