For 10 years, Toyota has made the Lexus ES in Kentucky. But as Americans move away from sedans, and as Toyota needs to produce more EVs in the States to avoid tariffs, the company is shifting ES production away from Kentucky in favor of two new electric SUVs based on some of its most beloved nameplates
An anonymous source confirmed to Reuters that Toyota will make EVs based on the RAV4 and Land Cruiser in Kentucky. In a statement, Toyota itself didn’t say what these EVs would be based on (or share nameplates with), but simply that it would build two three-row EVs in Kentucky.
Meanwhile, Toyota will expand Grand Highlander production to another part of its Indiana plant, as the gas-powered three-row continues to see huge customer demand. Toyota also builds the Lexus TX in Indiana, and with ES production moving to Japan, the three-row will be the only Lexus product made stateside.
The popular NX and RX crossovers are built in Canada, while the rest of the Lexus lineup comes from Japan.
Toyota took a more cautious approach to electrification than others, choosing instead to focus on expanding hybrid offerings, a strategy that’s proven successful. But now, it’s diving further into the battery-EV world, with plans for seven models in the US by 2027. For 2026, it’ll have three: The CH-R, BZ, and BZ Woodland. (Four if you count the Lexus RZ.)
The CH-R is the first Toyota to reuse a gas-car nameplate for an EV, and next Lexus ES is the first of its legacy products offered with both gas and electric drivetrains. Going electric with a RAV4 or Land Cruiser would be a much bigger step, even if both models are already hybrid-only. The Land Cruiser is synonymous with the Toyota legend, while the RAV4 is one of the most popular cars on the planet.
We’ve reached out to Toyota for more information, and we’ll update when we hear back.
