Toyota plans to use its own giant casting presses at $2 billion Lexus plant in China

Toyota is set to debut its own version of Tesla's EV-making technology in China, as part of the company's efforts to boost sales in the world's largest car market. The Japanese manufacturer is planning to use gigacasting machinery to produce electric vehicles at a US$2 billion Lexus factory in Shanghai, scheduled to start production in 2027.

This new technique involves molding entire chassis sections in one piece using giant presses, replacing the need for dozens of welded parts. Toyota is currently testing the technology in Japan and has declined to reveal potential suppliers for the project. The shift towards gigacasting aims to help Toyota become more competitive in China, where local EV brands have been dominating the market.

While the technology offers significant cost and time savings, it is also more expensive and less flexible when producing different models.