Toyota’s European operations has announced that its plant in the Czech Republic will start production of a new battery electric vehicle. The Toyota Motor Manufacturing Czech Republic (TMMCZ) facility in the town of Kolín in the country’s Central Bohemian Region already produces the Aygo X and Yaris hybrid, but will be expanded to accommodate production of this new, as-yet unspecified BEV. This includes the construction of a new dedicated battery assembly facility, and new paint and welding shops.
This announcement represents a significant investment of around €680 million (approx. £591 million) in TMMCZ by Toyota and the Czech government. For Toyota, this decision signals a further roll-out of its multi-pathway strategy designed to achieve its objective of carbon neutral operations in Europe by 2040.
The press briefing (see lead image above) was hosted by Czech minister of industry and trade Lukáš Vlček, Czech prime minister Petr Fiala, Toyota Motor Europe president and CEO Yoshihiro Nakata, and TMMCZ president Dr Robert Kiml.
During the event, Petr Fiala (below left) commented: “I am very glad that the Czech Republic managed to secure such a significant foreign investor as Toyota, even though other countries were also interested in this investment in electric car production. The automotive industry makes up around 10% of our GDP… and it is exactly such projects that are crucial for the future of the Czech automotive industry.”
Yoshihiro Nakata (above right) responded: “This new battery electric vehicle production is testament to the dedication of our employees and the vision shared with the Czech government to advance sustainable mobility and innovation. We fully appreciate this investment, the historical support and recognition of the Czech Republic, and our contribution to Czech society will continue as a Best in Town company. This advanced technology project will enhance our presence in the European market and contribute alongside our other solutions towards more efficient transportation.”
Further information on this new battery electric vehicle will be released in due course.
A brief history of TMMCZ
Toyota started producing the Aygo in the Czech Republic in 2002 when the Kolín plant was a joint venture with the PSA Group. Toyota acquired full ownership in 2021 and has continued to expand its activities to produce Aygo X (soon to be Aygo X Hybrid) and Yaris Hybrid models at a current capacity of around 220,000 vehicles per year. To date, TMMCZ has produced more than 4.5 million vehicles.
The facility is one of the region’s largest employers, with a workforce of some 3,200 members, and 65% of its supply parts are sourced within Czechia itself. TMMCZ is also the location of Toyota’s first European logistics mega hub, which was established last year to supply vehicles to dealerships across six Central European markets.
Learn more: What is the Toyota Production System?
