en.Wedoany.com Reported - On July 6, Toyota Motor Corporation announced plans to build a new $3.6 billion plant within its existing manufacturing complex in San Antonio, Texas, with production slated to begin by 2030, creating an estimated 2,000 jobs. The new facility will shift part of the production of the mid-size "Tacoma" pickup truck from Baja California, Mexico, to Texas, while the Guanajuato plant in Mexico will continue to produce the model. Toyota also plans to launch a new 500,000-square-foot rear axle plant this fall.

Toyota's announced capacity adjustment comes as the U.S. government revises tariff policies on imports of automobiles, steel, aluminum, and parts, pressuring automakers to bring production back to the U.S. Toyota stated that it remains committed to its operations in Mexico, Canada, and various locations across the United States, and urged the extension of the North American Free Trade Agreement, which automakers consider crucial for integrated regional production in North America. Texas Governor Greg Abbott noted that the investment would qualify for $20 million in state grants and other incentives. A White House spokesperson said Toyota's investment announcement is one of several driven by the administration's tariff, deregulation, and tax cut agenda.

Looking back, Toyota shifted production of the "Tacoma" model from San Antonio to its Guanajuato plant in Mexico in 2020, which runs parallel to the Baja California plant that has produced the pickup since 2004. Last year, Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda wore a T-shirt emblazoned with "2024 Trump-Vance" and a red "Make America Great Again" Trump hat, a move that drew praise from Trump and criticism from environmentalists. Toyota previously successfully lobbied Congress and the White House to ease California's emissions regulations and other electric vehicle requirements, but has also faced cost pressures due to tariffs imposed by the U.S. government.