Toyota to produce electric vehicles in Ontario

Toyota and Tesla Motors Inc. have just confirmed that the two will be working in conjunction with each other to build Toyota’s RAV4 Electric Vehicle at Toyota’s plant in Woodstock, Ontario. “The Tesla-Toyota joint development team has agreed that building the vehicle at the Woodstock plant on the same line as the gasoline-powered RAV4, will streamline and simplify the production process and guarantee the highest level of quality control,” said Ray Tanguay, the chairman of Toyota’s Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc. “This is a great example of Toyota’s determination to collaborate with companies with leading edge technology.”

Toyota said that they will pay Tesla about $100 million to supply the full electric powertrain, which includes the battery, motor, gearbox and all associated electronics. The lithium-ion battery pack powered RAV4 EV is capable of traveling close to 100 miles on a single charge.

Toyota has yet to officially release pricing and vulime figures, but we can see those details pop up as we get closer to the launch date, which is pegged for sometime in 2012.

Toyota will build its newest electric car with lithium ion batteries in Ontario, Premier Dalton McGuinty announced. The Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario will both contribute $70.8 million, so Toyota can begin production of the electric cars RAV4 at its Woodstock factory.

In an announcement to workers in Woodstock, McGuinty said the deal would directly protect 6,500 jobs while helping to build Ontario’s reputation in the green sector. "The RAV 4 is important for all of us," McGuinty said. "For Woodstock, it means secure jobs and for Ontario it shows our province is the place to build clean green products."

Production of the electric car RAV4 in Ontario is just part of the province’s plan to increase the number of electric cars on local roads, McGuinty said. Ontario also offers consumer incentives between $5,000 and $8,500 for electric vehicles purchased or leased, with the goal of having electric cars represent five per cent of those registered in the province by 2020. "It will be a cleaner, brighter and more affordable future for Ontarians," McGuinty said.

www.toyota-global.com/