Production of the All-New Toyota RAV4 Hybrid has officially begun at Toyota’s Georgetown, Kentucky plant. What’s more, this is also where production of the all-electric Highlander BEV will start later this fall.
On the one hand, it makes perfect sense. As one of the top-selling automakers in the world’s largest automotive market, Toyota continues to invest in manufacturing and expand its U.S. operations. The company currently operates five vehicle assembly plants across the United States.
Over the past two years, Toyota’s Kentucky plant has received $2 billion in investments — at least according to the company itself.
Part of that funding has gone toward a new paint shop, workforce development, and other improvements. More importantly, however, the Georgetown facility is expanding its capacity specifically for electrified and fully electric SUVs.
So what does this tell us?
The long-held belief that Americans are reluctant to buy hybrids and battery-electric vehicles no longer reflects reality.
Maybe that was true once. As a European, I used to think the same way. But today’s market tells a different story. Toyota — or any other automaker, for that matter — wouldn’t invest billions of dollars in projects with no future in the U.S. market.
The Georgetown plant has just reinforced that point: the new RAV4 Hybrid and the all-electric Highlander have received serious manufacturing backing.