It’s built how many vehicles in the US!?
Toyota has been selling vehicles in the US for over 60 years and began building them here in 1986. The Toyota Corolla was the first model to roll off the assembly line. And now, 35 years later, the 30 millionth Toyota has been built. That honor goes to a Toyota Sienna minivan, which completed production earlier this week at the automaker’s Princeton, Indiana manufacturing plant. Very conveniently, the Sienna is the most recent Toyota model to have been redesigned, making this occasion all the more special.
Headquartered in Plano, Texas, Toyota North America now has ten plants in the US, and two each in Canada and Mexico. In 2013, Toyota committed to spending $13 billion through 2021 and did so one year early. It has also created over 6,500 new jobs in the past seven years.
The Sienna’s home base in Indiana saw a $1.5 billion investment and 550 new jobs. Redesigned for the 2021 model year, the fourth-generation Sienna is the first minivan to be offered with only a hybrid powertrain option, a 2.5-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine paired to two electric motors and a CVT for a combined total of 243 horsepower. All-wheel drive is optional on all three available trims, making the Sienna the only minivan sold in America that combines a hybrid powertrain with AWD.
The Sienna isn’t the only popular Toyota built in the US. Other hot-sellers include the RAV4, Camry, and Avalon. All three are built in Kentucky.
“For 35 years, our employees have been assembling vehicles in the US with an unwavering commitment to safety and quality,” said Brian Krinock, senior vice president of Vehicle Manufacturing & Production Engineering. “On behalf of our 36,000 employees in the US who help design, engineer, assemble and distribute ten popular Toyota and Lexus models, we thank our loyal customers for putting their trust in our products and going places with us.”
The automaker has also just confirmed it will soon expand its US model lineup with two new battery electrics and one new plug-in hybrid. Specific details regarding the identity of these models still remain under wraps, but by 2025, Toyota expects 40 percent of new vehicle sales to be electrified. By 2030, this figure could reach 70 percent. This came as somewhat as a surprise considering Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda’s recent harsh words regarding battery electrics.