Toyota Motor Corp said on Monday it will build a new $3.6 billion manufacturing plant in Texas and transfer some truck production from Mexico to the United States. The automaker said the new facility will be a 2.5-million-square-foot building located on its San Antonio manufacturing campus and is targeted to open by 2030.
The company said the addition will create about 2,000 jobs. When the plant is complete, production of the mid-size Tacoma pickup currently assembled at the Toyota Manufacturing Baja California plant in Mexico will be moved to the new Texas plant. Toyota also said it will continue manufacturing Tacoma trucks at its Guanajuato, Mexico plant.
Toyota already produces Tundra trucks and sport utility vehicles at its existing San Antonio assembly plant located on the same campus where the new plant will be built. The company also noted that a 500,000-square-foot rear axle plant on the campus is expected to open in the autumn.
In a statement, Toyota said it remains committed to operations across Mexico, Canada and the United States and called for an extension of a North American free trade deal that automakers view as critical to integrated auto production. The company pointed to its cross-border manufacturing footprint while announcing the Texas investment.
The move follows an earlier reallocation of Tacoma production. In 2020, Toyota transferred Tacoma assembly from San Antonio to the Guanajuato plant in Mexico, joining the Baja plant that had produced the model since 2004.
Toyota's announcement comes amid pressure from the U.S. administration and changes in trade policy. President Donald Trump has urged automakers to expand production in the United States and has implemented higher tariffs on autos, steel, aluminum and parts. Toyota's statement emphasized its commitment to operations in all three North American countries while urging policymakers to extend the regional trade agreement cited as essential by automakers.
Summary
Toyota will build a 2.5-million-square-foot, $3.6 billion plant on its San Antonio campus to open by 2030, creating 2,000 jobs. Production of the mid-size Tacoma will move from the Baja California plant in Mexico to the new Texas plant, while Tacoma output will continue at Guanajuato in Mexico. Toyota continues to produce Tundra models at its existing San Antonio facility and is opening a 500,000-square-foot rear axle plant this autumn. The company reiterated its commitment to its North American operations and urged extension of a regional trade deal.