Toyota Tennessee makes company investment to increase hybrid car product

JACKSON, TN (WNBJ) - One automotive manufacturer in the hub city is investing millions of dollars to lower their carbon emissions and ultimately bettering the environment.

Toyota Tennessee has made a 17 million dollar investment that will likely move the manufacturer closer to an electrified future in the automotive industry.

“So, the investment is a very exciting time for Toyota. It actually going to take us into the next segment of the auto industry as far as electrification,” said Todd Williams, the Plant Manage at Toyota Tennessee.

Toyota says the Tennessee investment increases the plant’s capacity to cast hybrid transaxle cases and housings to 1.3 million per year.

The hybrid transaxle is a part of the car that effectively transfers power between the engine, electric motor, and wheels of the car.

“The Toyota initiative is to offer an electrification option in every one of North American products with Toyota and Lexus by the year 2025. That allows us to give the customer freedom to choose what’s best for them. Whether that’s combustion or electric or a combination of both,” said Williams.

Another Toyota Tennessee employee says the investment will give employees an opportunity to work to lower the company’s carbon emissions.

“So, the lower carbon emissions working with Toyota and having an impact on that and seeing how the company within itself is pushing to lower that impacts my family, my future grandkids and so on. I am glad to have a part in that,” said Chris Roach, the Pilot Team Manager with Toyota Tennessee.

Toyota says that added investment to the plant brings the to-date total investment to $389 million.