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Toyota is changing how two of its factories in southwestern Ontario work so they can build batteries right there for the next RAV4 models.
The Woodstock and Cambridge plants currently produce those SUVs, but until now, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (TMMC) has been getting battery packs assembled in Japan and then shipping them here.
“TMMC will receive battery modules from Toyota’s battery manufacturing plant in North Carolina, which TMMC will then assemble into finished battery packs,” the company said in a statement.
This announcement comes as U. S. tariffs and shifts in the electric vehicle (EV) market shake up the auto industry, especially here in southwestern Ontario.
Back in April, General Motors cut jobs and production at its CAMI plant in Ingersoll because demand changed. Over in Windsor, workers at Stellantis’ Windsor Assembly Plant faced months of worry and shutdowns due to U. S. tariffs affecting operations.
In May, Honda put off opening a big EV factory near Barrie, citing tariffs and slower EV sales as reasons.
TMMC says it hasn’t made any cuts or changed plans despite all this uncertainty going on around them.
A company spokesperson explained that this move is about making things more efficient since shipping smaller battery parts is easier than sending whole assembled packs.
They’ll have to update some equipment to start putting together these packs onsite but weren’t ready to share what exactly that involves just yet.
Vehicles are seen at a Toyota Motor Manufacturing plant in Cambridge, Ont., on March 13, 2025. (Carlos Osorio/Reuters)
The number of workers at TMMC probably won’t change much with these updates coming – a spokesperson said their staff “will remain relatively stable.”
“While battery assembly is additional work, we expect to have some efficiencies in other areas,” the statement reads.
TMMC mentioned that since production for the 6th generation RAV4 kicks off early next year, they’ll be retooling gradually before that starts.
TMMC runs three plants across Ontario employing about 8,500 people. Two are located in Cambridge – one makes Lexus RX350 versions while the other Cambridge site along with Woodstock both focus on producing RAV4 and RAV4 hybrids.
