Toyota will begin converting production lines in Japan for next-generation batteries in 2027.
Initial annual capacity will be enough to supply batteries for 600,000 hybrids.
Toyota is considering additional battery production capacity.
Five million. That’s how many hybrids Toyota estimates it will sell this year, maybe even more. It would be the first time the milestone has been reached since the Japanese automotive juggernaut democratized hybrids by launching the original Prius nearly three decades ago. Through the voice of its chairman, Akio Toyoda, the company has been adamant that hybrids are a better fit globally than electric vehicles.
Toyota’s thinking is that EVs currently don’t represent a one-size-fits-all solution because of underdeveloped charging infrastructure and higher asking prices. Although range anxiety is becoming less of an issue as technology progresses, many people still swear by combustion-engine vehicles.
