Toyota Delays Production Of Three-line Electric SUVs In The US Until 2026, Here's The Reason

Toyota bZ4X. (Doc. Global Toyota)

JAKARTA The world's auto giant Toyota recently announced a three-line production delay in electric vehicles (EV) in North America until mid-2026. This decision was taken to suit sluggish market demand, as global EV sales slowed down.

According to the latest information, the production of the Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) SUV which is planned to take place in Kentucky, USA, which was originally scheduled to start at the end of 2025, will be delayed by several months.

"We previously said production would begin at the end of 2025, but it is likely that it will only be realized in 2026," said Toyota spokesman Scott Vazin, quoted from Nikkei Asia, Friday, October 4.

Despite the delay, Toyota remains committed to introducing five to seven new BEV models in the United States market in the next two years. This delay was largely due to supply disruptions and governance challenges that forced Toyota to adjust production plans.

Meanwhile, the production of the Lexus electric SUV, which was originally scheduled to take place in the US in 2030, has now also been canceled. Toyota prefers to import the premium model directly from Japan.

This delay also had an impact on Toyota's partnership plan with Subaru, which was previously rumored to be using the same three-line BEV platform. The model is touted as the successor to Toyota bZ4x, which will be named bZ5x for Toyota and TZ for Lexus. The platform is the latest generation being developed by Toyota, where the bZ5x SUV will be the first electric vehicle produced in the US with a battery from the Toyota plant in North Carolina.

Sementara itu, Subaru telah berencana untuk meluncurkan tiga model BEV baru pada akhir 2026, diikuti dengan empat model tambahan hingga 2028. Meski rencana Subaru masih berjalan, penundatan dari Toyota tentu memberi tantangan baru bagi kedua perusahaan dalam mengembangkan pasar EV di masa depan.