Automakers are continuing to push back their electric vehicle (EV) plans. Companies like Bentley, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo have delayed their electrification timelines as the market demand slows, and now Toyota is following suit.
Toyota originally planned to start EV production in the U.S. in 2025 but has now shifted that timeline to mid-2026.
Much like other manufacturers that were once optimistic about EVs, declining enthusiasm for electric vehicles has led Toyota to reconsider its approach.
“We’re still committed to our global battery electric vehicle target of 1.5 million vehicles by 2026,” Toyota spokesperson Scott Vazin told.
Despite the delay, the company still intends to produce “5 to 7 battery electric vehicles in the U.S.,” Vazin added.
Toyota has invested $1.3 billion in its Georgetown Assembly Plant in Kentucky to support the production of an electric three-row SUV.
Additionally, the company has allocated $1.3 billion for lithium-ion battery production in North Carolina and $1.4 billion for EV production at its Princeton, Indiana facility.
The three-row electric SUV is still on track—just delayed. Nikkei Asia notes that design updates, which suppliers need time to implement, also contributed to the postponement.
Meanwhile, the three-row Lexus EV initially slated for U.S. production by 2030 is now reportedly going to be built in Japan and imported, rather than manufactured domestically.
