Toyota's stated goal of increasing hybrid production to over 1 million vehicles per year in the near future means the company must develop more battery capacity, reports the Associated Press. Because the timeline for reaching the million-hybrid mark is a short one, Toyota expects to have the new plant online by 2010.
Curiously, both of the new plants are designed to manufacture nickel-metal hydride batteries rather than the next-generation lithium-ion batteries competitors like Nissan and VW are working on.
The new plant will be responsible for 200,000 batteries assemblies per year once it is at full capacity. Ramp-up will take some time, and until then production will be nearer 100,000 units. That leaves about 80-90% of Toyota's requisite production to the other two plants.