Officials with the Georgetown Toyota plant are expecting next year’s production to be on par with this year’s efforts. That includes taking on some additional responsibilities mid-year.
It’s difficult to predict accurate future car sales figures but the Toyota Camry, made in Scott County, has been America’s favorite car for years. Spokesman Rick Hesterberg says a Subaru plant in Indiana, which also produces the Camry for Toyota, is changing its production mix and will no longer build the car. “We should be able to absorb the production volume coming from the Subaru plant and keep our workforce extremely busy in 2016,” said Hesterberg.
Hesterberg says the sedan market could be a bit flat next year, but he says it wouldn’t much of a concern since 2015 has been a good year. He says low gas prices have prompted some buyers to consider trucks and SUV’s.
Over the long haul, there could be changes in the mix of vehicles and how they are powered. Hesterberg says Toyota is producing electric powered vehicles in Japan. He says the company is working to stay ahead of changing times. “But I think everyone is trying and working very hard to come up with a diverse lineup and trying to see what direction that it’s gonna go,” explained Hesterberg. “For Toyota, we believe it’s hydrogen fuel cell that’s gonna be a major player in the game here today and in the future.”
Hydrogen fuel cells are used to power electric vehicles.
