Toyota Will Build Two Three-Row EV SUVs at Its Kentucky Plant
The plans include ending U.S. production of the Lexus ES sedan to reportedly make way for an electric Land Cruiser and RAV4.
Toyota has confirmed that it plans to build two new three-row EV SUVs at its assembly plant in Kentucky.
Those SUVs will reportedly be an electric version of the Land Cruiser and RAV4, according to a report by Reuters.
With the Lexus ES sedan’s U.S. production set to move entirely to Japan, that will help open up space in the Kentucky factory for the incoming EVs.
UPDATE 9/12/25, 2:30 p.m.: This story has been updated with a comment from Lexus.
Toyota is adjusting production at its assembly plant in Georgetown, Kentucky, to make room for a pair of upcoming electric SUVs. While the company hasn’t released many official details about the duo, it has confirmed to Car and Driver that the new three-row EV SUVs will both be built in Kentucky. Toyota is also making changes at its Indiana plant by expanding production of the Grand Highlander.
“To improve manufacturing efficiencies and better serve customers based on market demand, Toyota is strategically transitioning production across our plants in Kentucky and Indiana,” the company said in a statement. “Toyota Indiana will continue to assemble the Grand Highlander in its west plant and add assembly of the vehicle to its east plant to accommodate increased production volume.”
Toyota
Toyota declined to discuss any details about the forthcoming EV SUVs, but a recent report from Reuters suggests that they will be based on the Land Cruiser and RAV4. The news outlet claims that this is according to an anonymous source familiar with the situation. We’ve also already seen images of the Land Cruiser Se concept, which could preview a production version. As for the reported RAV4 EV, it could fill the gap between the recently revealed CH-R EV and an electric pickup truck, based on the image above that Toyota showed earlier this year.
Currently, Toyota builds several models at its Kentucky plant, one of which is the Lexus ES sedan. Back in 2021, the company announced that it would be moving production of the ES from Kentucky to Japan. A spokesperson today reiterated that statement to Car and Driver, saying, “This move will help create space for future products and to better align with U.S. market demand.”
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Eric Stafford
Managing Editor, News
Eric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si.
