The UK arm of the Japanese firm is the latest carmaker to warn of the impact of a hard Brexit.
The head of Toyota UK has warned the carmaker might have to halt production for “months” if Britain left the EU without a deal, potentially putting jobs at risk.
Marvin Cooke, the firm’s managing director, said that the impact of any border delays in the “unprecedented” scenario would be hugely damaging for a firm that sources parts from all across Europe and ships them to Britain for assembly.
Toyota employs around 3,000 people in the UK at two sites — the main vehicle assembly plant in Burnaston, Derbyshire, and an engine site in north Wales.
It is the latest car manufacturer to warn of the impact of a hard Brexit on the sector, following Jaguar Land Rover, BMW and Honda.
Cooke told BBC News: “If we crash out of the EU and just one supplier part is missing, we will not be able to produce cars during that time.
“We cannot predict if the impact of a hard Brexit would be hours, days, weeks or months, so we cannot predict whether or not such interruptions would continue for just a few hours, days or months.
“In the past, of there has been a minor problem with a vehicle or at the (Channel) Tunnel, we can overcome it, it’s a minor impact.
