Production of the all-new Toyota C-HR starts, including a plug-in hybrid variant using a locally assembled battery

Toyota Motor Europe (TME) has started production of the all-new Toyota C-HR, including its first European battery assembly, at its plant in Sakarya, Turkey.  With a new investment of €308 million injected into its manufacturing facilities, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey (TMMT) is Toyota’s first European plant to produce plug-in hybrid vehicles.

When first introduced, the Toyota C-HR set a new styling benchmark in the European C-SUV segment with its dramatic, sharp-edged design closer to the look of sports coupes. The new model which further stretches its design boldness has been developed and engineered in Europe. Since its launch, the Toyota C-HR has maintained a strong sales performance across its lifecycle with cumulative sales of over 800,000 vehicles. During this period, Toyota C-HR attracted many new customers helping to move the Toyota brand’s European market share from 4% to 7%.

The all-new Toyota C-HR comes with four electrified powertrains: 1.8 and 2.0-litre Hybrid Electric (HEV) models, 2.0-litre HEV model with intelligent all-wheel drive (AWD-i) and 2.0-litre Plug-in Hybrid Electric (PHEV) model. In Europe’s largest, most competitive SUV market, Toyota C-HR’s entirely electrified line-up offers diverse options of affordable and practical low carbon emission vehicles that meet customer needs and accelerates the pace of CO2 emissions reduction.

Toyota has invested €308 million to modernise TMMT’s production lines in view of further electrification with total investment in the Sakarya plant now reaching €2.5 billion.

The new investment further diversifies TMMT’s production. In addition to the Corolla Sedan and the all-new Toyota C-HR PHEV, plug-in batteries will be assembled for the first time in Europe. The new battery line has the capacity to assemble 75,000 battery units annually.

Toyota is committed to achieving full carbon neutrality in Europe by 2040 and is targeting carbon neutrality in all its European manufacturing facilities by 2030. TMMT is progressing towards this goal by implementing measures to minimise energy consumption and switching to renewable energy. These measures include new paint shop technologies which minimise CO2 emissions, zero-carbon ventilation systems and the use of solar energy.

¹ Europe = EU, EEA & UK

Toyota Motor Europe NV/SA (TME) oversees the wholesale sales and marketing of Toyota, GR (Gazoo Racing) and Lexus vehicles and parts and accessories, as well as Toyota’s European manufacturing and engineering operations. Toyota directly employs over 25,000 people and has invested over EUR 11 billion in Europe since 1990. Its eight European manufacturing plants are located in Portugal, the UK, France, Poland, Czech Republic and Turkey. Today, there are approximately 16.5 million Toyota, GR and Lexus vehicles on European roads, whose drivers are supported by a network of 28 National Marketing and Sales Companies and around 2,800 retail sales outlets in 53 countries (EU, UK, EFTA countries + Russia, Israel, Turkey and other Eastern European countries). In 2022, TME sold 1,080,975 vehicles in Europe for a 6.4% market share. For more information, visit Facts & Figures (toyota.eu) and www.toyota-europe.com.

Toyota believes that when people are free to move, anything is possible. In the pursuit of "Mobility for All", Toyota aims to create safer, more connected, inclusive and sustainable mobility to achieve its mission of producing “Happiness for All”. In Europe, TME launched the KINTO mobility brand which offers a range of mobility services in 14 countries, and is growing its business-to-business sales of zero-emission fuel cell products and engineering support. Contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Toyota is working to achieve carbon neutrality in its entire business across Europe. A historic leader in CO2 reduction in Europe, TME aims to achieve 100% CO2 reduction in all new vehicles in Western Europe by 2035 and will continue to offer a full range of electrified powertrains to customers across the region with its hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery and fuel cell electric vehicles.