Shanghai has taken a big step towards reclaiming the title as the country’s largest vehicle production hub following Toyota Motor’s plan to make cars in the city. The metropolis, which has been eclipsed by Shenzhen and Guangzhou since 2022 in car production,

Toyota said Wednesday it will build an EV plant in Shanghai, China. The plant will produce a new Lexus brand EV vehicle.

The factory, with initial capacity of 100,000 EVs a year, will be the first standalone assembly plant operated in China by Toyota without a local partner.