Toyota Kentucky Begins RAV4 Hybrid Assembly, Breaks Ground on New Paint Facility
The Georgetown plant adds the all-new RAV4 Hybrid and breaks ground on a next-generation paint facility, with a Highlander electric vehicle due in September.
GEORGETOWN, Ky. — Toyota has begun assembly of the all-new RAV4 Hybrid at its plant here and has broken ground on a next-generation paint facility, the company said June 22.
Toyota tied the two milestones to $2 billion in investments it said it had announced over the past two years at the Georgetown plant, which is marking its 40th year of operation.
The plant is increasing its production of electrified vehicles, Toyota said, and will launch a new Highlander Battery Electric Vehicle in September 2026. The company described the additions as part of what it calls a multi-pathway approach to electrification. Toyota did not provide production-volume targets for the RAV4 Hybrid, and it did not release detailed specifications for the Highlander Battery Electric Vehicle.
"Making our customers smile by delivering high-quality vehicles like the all-new RAV4 Hybrid has been our legacy for 40 years," said Kerry Creech, president of Toyota Kentucky. "The milestones we celebrate today reflect our team's commitment to sustainability and our unwavering promise to continue to deliver vehicles our customers love."
Toyota said the next-generation paint facility is designed to reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent and to save approximately 1.5 million gallons of water annually. Those figures are the company's stated targets for a facility that is not yet built. Toyota did not state the cost of the paint facility or a completion date.
The company also announced a $500,000 grant to Bluegrass Community and Technical College in support of a new regional workforce training facility. Toyota said the initiative would provide hands-on training to students and current workers across the Bluegrass region.
"Toyota's investment reflects a deep commitment to our community and its future," said Dr. Greg Feeney, chancellor and chief executive of the college. "The regional workforce training center is critical for preparing Central Kentucky's workforce for today's advanced manufacturing environment and the evolving challenges of the future."
Toyota said the Georgetown plant has drawn more than $12 billion in total investment and has assembled 15 million vehicles over its history. The plant employs nearly 10,000 people, according to the company.
The Georgetown plant is one of 11 Toyota manufacturing facilities in the United States. The company said four other U.S. plants are marking anniversaries this year. In 2025, Toyota's plant in North Carolina began assembling automotive batteries for electrified vehicles, the company said.