Toyota UK factory faces uncertainty as EU backs cars 'made in Europe'

Toyota’s Burnaston plant in Derbyshire faces uncertainty as new EU rules on “Made in Europe” could limit the company’s ability to import cars from the UK. The Burnaston site opened in 1992 and produces around 100,000 cars per year, currently for the Corolla hatchback, which is nearing the end of its lifecycle. Toyota Europe’s corporate officer Matt Harrison told journalists on October 15 that the company is working on a “sustainable route forward” and is discussing next-generation C-segment models and platforms that could keep the facility involved. However, he warned that the EU’s Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) is a bigger risk than the UK’s ZEV mandate, potentially excluding non-EU-built vehicles from major corporate fleets and subsidies.