Toyota starts production of hybrids in Poland

Electric transmissions for the Car of the Year 2021

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Poland (TMMP) launched production of hybrid electric transmissions for its low-emission hybrid electric powertrains. The new transmission combines with the latest generation 1.5L gasoline engine, produced in Jelcz-Laskowice, to form the hybrid electric powertrain for new Yaris, The Car of the Year 2021.

Yaris and Yaris Cross

Demand for Toyota’s best-selling Yaris is at an all-time high, the B-segment model which made up over 20% of Toyota’s European sales last year, is manufactured at Toyota Motor Manufacturing France (TMMF) and from later this year at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Czech. TMMP’s output of hybrid electric powertrains will receive another boost when the new Yaris Cross begins production later in 2021, also at TMMF.

Localizing production

TMMP’s latest expansion forms a key part of Toyota Motor Europe’s strategy to further localize the production of hybrid electric drives to help meet the company’s ambition of selling 1.4M vehicles a year by 2025, 90% of sales will have electrified powertrains for its hybrids, plug-in hybrids, battery electric and fuel cell vehicles. As part of its increased European investment, TME has expanded TMMP’s Wałbrzych Plant to accommodate a new casting line, additional processing lines and a new assembly line.

New production lines

At the same time, TMMP also begins the first European production of the MG1 electric motor which forms an integral part of the hybrid electric transmissions, and to meet the increased demand for hybrids, the Wałbrzych plant will launch a twin production line for hybrid electric transmissions in autumn 2021. From 2022, it will start a second production line of 1.5L TNGA gasoline engines, effectively doubling TMMP’s hybrid electric powertrain production capacity for Toyota Yaris and Yaris Cross models.

“This marks a major step-up in TMMP’s capacity to build entire hybrid electric powertrains including electric motors and hybrid electric transmissions. As we broaden our multi-powertrain electrification line-up, it is essential that we continue to invest in the European infrastructure and expertise of our people. Our hybrid electric sales made up 53% of total volume in 2020 and we will increase hybrid sales along with those of battery electric, plug-in electric and fuel cell vehicles. Together these technologies have enabled us to meet our EU CO2 fleet targets in 2020, and we are confident that we will continue to achieve these targets in future.”

Marvin Cooke, Executive Vice President, Toyota Motor Europe

Once these new projects are fully up to speed in 2022, the factories in Wałbrzych and Jelcz-Laskowice will have a total of six production lines for the main hybrid components, including three lines of hybrid electric transmissions and three lines of TNGA combustion engines.

This increased localisation of production of hybrid electric components in Europe follows TMMP’s establishment of a Hybrid Drives Testing and Evaluation Department in 2020. Including the recently completed projects , the level of investments in both plants will increase to almost PLN 6 billion (or c. €1.3 billion) by the end of 2022, enabling a production capacity of 1.65 million components per year and employment to over 3,000 people.

Toyota's low-emission hybrid technology

Hybrid cars use two sources of power - gasoline and electric. During braking, the kinetic energy of the hybrid car is recovered and converted into electricity, thanks to which the vehicle consumes less fuel. Toyota sees hybrid technology as an important step towards full electrified mobility.

Toyota’s hybrid technology reduces emissions, fuel consumption providing an accessible and affordable mobility solution for its customers. Toyota has located in Poland the first center for production and development of hybrid drives in the world outside of Asia. It supplies the hybrid electric transmissions and the associated TNGA hybrid gasoline engines for the group's low-emission vehicles manufactured in Europe.

Projects related to hybrid technology implemented in Polish Toyota factories

TNGA architecture

Toyota New Global Architecture is the global architecture in which all new Toyota models are currently designed. This platform stands for common principles for the construction of individual chassis types and bodies, as well as drivetrains for various models. Its characteristic feature is a lower center of gravity and a stiffer car body, which translates into a high level of passive safety and greater driving comfort.

From the production side, TNGA means designing automated production lines, and thus higher efficiency, a modular structure of the line enabling the production of various types of components or drives on one production line, as well as better work ergonomics and lower environmental impact.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Poland (TMMP)

TMMP has two plants located in Lower Silesia. The factory in Wałbrzych produces hybrid electric transmissions for low-emission hybrid cars with a 1.8-liter engine, 1-liter gasoline engines as well as manual and semi-automatic transmissions. Its current annual production capacity is 350,000 hybrid electric transmissions , 258,000 engines and 633,000 transmissions.

The plant in Jelcz-Laskowice produces 1.5 L and 2.0 l TNGA gasoline engines, and its production capacity is 312 thousand engines per year. TMMP factories supply assembly plants of Toyota cars and the PSA Group and Lotus companies, operated by European companies in the Czech Republic, Great Britain, France, Turkey and Russia, and outside Europe: in South Africa and Japan.

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Toyota starts production of hybrid electric drives in Poland