Toyota invests in West Virgina production plant

Toyota says it will allocate $ 210 million to expand its engine manufacturing program in West Virginia. The new plan calls for the company to create about 100 new jobs in the country. The Japanese automaker aims to rise to the top by increasing its production. The plan is to produce 70,000 engines a year. Manufacturing will be based in its Buffalo, West Virginia facility. The company has its eye on its four-cylinder engine line and sees the new investment as a way to increase that assembly capacity. The plan is to develop four- and six-cylinder engines for Sienna, Lexus RX350, RAV4, Highlander, Camry, Avalon and Corolla. The company is making its new investment at a time when the world's leading automakers are moving away from developing vehicles with internal combustion engines. The development of electric vehicles seems to be coming to the fore. Still, Toyota claims that hybrid vehicles will continue to be an important part of its vehicle strategy in the years to come. According to the company, hybrid vehicles operate with internal combustion engines, something very different from those with electric drive. The company has looked at the other automakers focusing on battery electric vehicles, but that can only be considered for the future. Toyota talked about its U.S. sales in 2020 last week, stating that 16% of sales consist of hybrid vehicles. The company predicts that number could climb to 20% in 2021. Toyota has been focusing on many advanced activities recently, part of which is building its high-tech "Woven City". The company chose a former vehicle production facility as the basis for the "Woven City". The company's goal was to build a prototype city that integrates all ecosystems. Toyota President Akio Toyoda organized a ceremony to celebrate the launch of the Woven City "project, which attracted some big names, including Susono City Mayor Kenji Takamura, Shizuoka Prefecture Governor Heita Kawakatsu, CEO from Woven Planet, James Kuffner, and Toyota Motor East Japan (TMEJ) President Kazuhiro Miyauchi attended the ceremony.