Toyota is working on an all-new three-row SUV for the US market

Toyota has been catching a lot of flack for its long-standing stance on all-electric EVs not being the future on their own and its consequent lack of investment in them compared to most of its competitors. The bZ4X won't be alone in the US market for long, though.

Today Toyota has announced that it's working on an all-new, three-row all-electric SUV for the US market. This will be built at its flagship facility in Kentucky. The news was previously leaked last August, and is now finally official.

Toyota is investing $1.3 billion in the plant where the new model will be assembled. This brings its total investment in the facility to nearly $10 billion and "reinforces Toyota's commitment to high-quality vehicles and long-term job stability", according to the official press release. Since 2021, Toyota has announced $17 billion in new investments in its US manufacturing operations "to support electrification efforts".

The Kentucky plant, which has been "a hub" of its North American operations since 1986, is getting a battery pack assembly line too, with batteries being supplied by Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina.

Toyota Kentucky president Kerry Creech said:

Today’s announcement reflects our commitment to vehicle electrification and further reinvesting in our U.S. operations. Generations of our team members helped prepare for this opportunity, and we will continue leading the charge into the future by remaining true to who we are as a company and putting our people first for generations to come.