NEW YORK (Kyodo) Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday its motor vehicle production in North America has reached 15 million units, marking the milestone in about 20 years since it started production on the continent in 1986.

Toyota started vehicle output in North America in a joint venture with General Motors Corp. at New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. in Fremont, Calif., in 1986, and has since steadily expanded its North American operations.

Toyota's cumulative vehicle output in North America came to 10 million units in July 2002.

Toyota now has five assembly plants with a total manufacturing workforce of 27,000.

By 2008, Toyota will have the annual capacity to build 1.76 million cars in North America, making it likely its cumulative output will pass 20 million in about three years.