Toyota Confirms Plans for Second Three-Row Electric SUV in the U.S.

Toyota on Thursday announced plans to invest $1.4 billion in its Princeton, Indiana plant to support production of a three-row electric SUV.

The investment will extend to the production of battery packs at the plant, which will use lithium-ion batteries supplied by Toyota's battery plant under construction in Liberty, North Carolina, and scheduled to begin production in 2025.

The investment announcement brings Toyota's total investment in U.S. production since 2021 to $18.6 billion.

Toyota did not reveal details of the SUV, but a spokesperson told Automotive News (subscription required) that it will be a larger Toyota-branded model than the three-row electric SUV Toyota is planning at its Georgetown, Kentucky plant.

The SUV planned for Georgetown, which was unveiled in February and is the subject of a $1.3 billion investment, will also be a Toyota-branded model; it will be a midsize vehicle called the bZ5X; production is expected to begin in 2026; it will be one of dozens of EV concepts Toyota announced in late 2021 (above) figure), believed to have been heralded by one of the dozens of EV concepts announced by Toyota in late 2021 (above).

Production of the SUV at Princeton is also expected to begin in 2026, with sales expected to begin later that year, suggesting that it will arrive in the US as a 2027 model

The Princeton plant is currently producing the Highlander, Grand Highlander and related Lexus TX, and produces three gas-powered three-row SUVs. It also produces the Sienna minivan. The planned electric SUV is rumored to bear the Highlander name.

Lexus is also planning to launch a three-row electric SUV that may be built at its Georgetown or Princeton plants. Judging from recent trademark activity, this vehicle may be called the TZ. Such a name would indicate that the SUV is an electric alternative to the TX.