Toyota will begin producing hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the Toyota C-HR and build a battery production line at one of its plants in Turkey, according to a company statement. The automaker will invest EUR 317 mn in the battery production line, the statement says, without specifying the cost of producing the hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars. This marks the first time the Japanese carmaker will produce plug-in hybrids and batteries in Turkey.

Enterprise, what’s the difference between hybrid and plug-in hybrids? All hybrid vehicles use a combination of gasoline and electric motors, but conventional hybrids don’t require a plug because their small batteries can be charged while you’re driving through their gasoline engines. Plug-in hybrids have larger batteries that can be charged up and driven for longer periods compared to a conventional hybrid model.

The details: It is unclear how many cars the plant will produce per year or the timeline for the beginning of production, but the company expects to produce 75k batteries annually at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey facility, with assembly set to begin in December 2023.

Ford also has battery production aspirations in Turkey: Ford is in talks to launch a Turkish battery plant with an annual production capacity ranging between 30 to 45 GWh, according to an original agreement last year between Ford, SK On, and Turkish Koc Holding. The plant is expected to come online in 2025.

IN OTHER EV NEWS- Israeli startup City Transformer will begin producing 15k electric vehicles annually in an undisclosed Western European country by the end of 2024, CEO Asaf Formoza tells Reuters. City Transformer will look to drum up an additional USD 50 mn in a series B round to ramp up production of its small urban CT-2 model.