On October 1, 2026, Toyota unveiled the Toyota Battery Center of North America in Saline, Michigan. The 30,000-square-foot facility sits within Toyota's research and development campus and serves as a hub for battery development and testing across diverse vehicle powertrain architectures.
The center functions as a centralized hub for assessing battery technologies while maintaining connections to Toyota's North American manufacturing ecosystem. This network encompasses Toyota Battery Manufacturing in North Carolina and vehicle assembly plants throughout the region.
Battery Testing for Different Powertrains
The facility encompasses the complete battery lifecycle, spanning from raw material procurement through final vehicle integration and end-of-life recycling. Teams of engineers and technicians will conduct battery characterization work and advance emerging battery technologies at the location.
Toyota's strategic focus encompasses hybrid, plug-in hybrid, hydrogen-powered, and battery-electric vehicles as viable applications. By supporting development across these multiple powertrain pathways simultaneously, the center reflects the automaker's diversified technology approach.
Research Access for the University of Michigan
The company intends to grant access to the facility and its research infrastructure through a partnership with the University of Michigan's Electric Vehicle Center. Additional research collaborators will likewise gain access to the center's testing and evaluation resources.
Toyota holds founding member status within the Electric Vehicle Center. The partnership framework is also designed to cultivate the next generation of battery engineers and technicians within Michigan's workforce.
Source: Battery-News
