Toyota has flipped the switch on its new battery plant in North Carolina, marking a major step in the brand’s push to scale hybrid and EV production in the United States. The facility, first announced in late 2021, carries a $13.9 billion price tag and is already building hybrid batteries for Toyota’s Kentucky operations and the Mazda Toyota joint venture in Alabama.

The company used the launch to confirm a fresh $10 billion investment plan over the next five years that will expand its U.S. manufacturing footprint. By Toyota’s count, total stateside investment will climb past $60 billion by the time the plan runs its course.

Set on a sprawling 1,850 acre site, the North Carolina complex is designed for serious output. At full tilt, Toyota projects 30 GWh of annual capacity supported by 14 battery production lines serving both plug in hybrids and full battery electric models. Headcount will eventually reach about 5,000 employees, creating a new talent hub for battery engineering and high tech manufacturing in the Southeast.

What gets those batteries first is already in motion. Toyota says the packs will power hybrid versions of the Camry, Corolla Cross, and RAV4. The plant is also slated to feed a yet to be announced three row all electric SUV, a model positioned to compete in one of the hottest family segments in the market.

The investment underscores Toyota’s multipath strategy. Rather than pivoting only to full EVs, the brand is leaning into hybrids and plug in hybrids while it brings its next wave of dedicated EVs online. For shoppers, that means familiar nameplates with improved efficiency now and a larger lineup of all electric options coming soon.

For the broader industry, the North Carolina site signals continued momentum in U.S. battery localization. Suppliers and talent tend to cluster around plants like this, which should tighten supply chains and help stabilize costs over time. It also sets the stage for more American built Toyota hybrids and EVs to roll off assembly lines with fewer bottlenecks.

Bottom line. Toyota’s battery plant is live, capacity is scalable, and fresh investment is locked in. Hybrids remain the immediate focus with a family size EV waiting in the wings, all of it powered by a growing manufacturing base on U.S. soil.