Mazda and Toyota have announced plans to open a new production facility in Alabama that will be used to produce vehicles for both automakers. The new plant will build 300,000 vehicles a year with production split evenly between a new Mazda crossover and the Toyota Corolla. The joint venture represents a $1.6 billion investment.
The new plant will be built in Huntsville, Alabama – approximately 14 miles from Toyota’s Alabama plant. The facility is expected to create up to 4,000 jobs and production is expected to begin by 2021.
“The partnership between Mazda and Toyota will expand innovative automotive manufacturing in Alabama,” Governor Ivey said. “Their decision to locate this new facility in Huntsville is a testament to the talented workforce in our state. We are proud that this partnership puts Alabama on the forefront of technology in this dynamic global industry.”
Mazda recently gave some clues about the new crossover that will be built at the Alabama plant. It will be positioned between the CX-5 and CX-9 in Mazda’s U.S. lineup. There’s a chance that the new crossover could revive the CX-7 name.
Source: Mazda and Toyota