Toyota announced this Wednesday that it will invest €680 million in the Kolin factory in the Czech Republic to produce what will be the brand’s first fully electric model manufactured in Europe.
The Japanese manufacturer did not reveal details about the new 100% electric model, but clarified that the investment to be made in its factory in the Czech Republic will allow for the expansion of the Kolin unit from the current 152,000 to 173,000 square meters to accommodate new painting and welding workshops, as well as a new battery production plant, which will receive government support of up to €64 million.
“The production of this new 100% electric vehicle is proof of our employees’ dedication and the shared vision with the Czech Government to promote sustainable mobility and innovation”, said Yoshihiro Nakata, president and CEO of Toyota Motor Europe.
It is worth noting that Toyota currently produces the Aygo X and the Yaris Hybrid at the Kolin factory, which has a capacity of approximately 220,000 vehicles per year.
The introduction of the production of fully electric vehicles will increase the potential capacity of the multichannel production factory and lead to an increase in direct jobs, with similar benefits for the supply chain, as according to Toyota, “most of the volume of parts will come from the Czech Republic.”