Toyota plans $2B Texas factory expansion

Toyota Motor has not announced a new Texas factory outright, but public filings show the company is pursuing a roughly $2 billion expansion of its existing manufacturing complex in San Antonio. Reuters reported on May 14 that Toyota sought approval for a new vehicle assembly line at the site, citing a filing with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. The proposed project, called “Project Orca,” would deepen Toyota’s presence at the plant that now builds the Tundra pickup and Sequoia SUV. Toyota said in a statement to Reuters that it “regularly evaluate[s]” its manufacturing footprint and that the plan reflects a long-term commitment to North America. ### Where did the $2 billion figure come from? The $2 billion figure comes from a state filing, not from an official Toyota press release. Reuters reported that the filing breaks the investment into about $1.05 billion for buildings and other property improvements and $950 million for machinery and equipment. (money.usnews.com) KSAT, citing the same filing submitted to the Texas Comptroller’s Office, reported that Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas, plans to spend $2 billion on a new assembly line at the San Antonio plant. Toyota has not posted a matching announcement on its U.S. newsroom page as of May 18. ### What exactly would Toyota build in San Antonio? (money.usnews.com) San Antonio is the site of Toyota’s existing truck factory, which opened in 2006. KSAT reported that the plant currently assembles the Toyota Tundra and Toyota Sequoia, produced more than 197,000 vehicles in 2025, and employs more than 3,700 workers. (ksat.com) Reuters said the new investment would add a vehicle assembly line at that complex rather than create a separate greenfield factory elsewhere in Texas. That distinction matters because the filings point to an expansion of an operating site, with new buildings, equipment and surrounding infrastructure tied to the current plant. (ksat.com) ### How many jobs are tied to the project? The filing projects 2,000 new jobs between 2028 and 2030, according to Reuters. Toyota told Reuters the plan reflects its commitment to local manufacturing, jobs and suppliers in North America. KSAT reported that the project would also average more than 600 construction jobs a year from 2026 to 2030. (money.usnews.com) The same report said Texas Workforce Solutions submitted a wage requirement of $88,583 annually for plant jobs as part of rules tied to House Bill 5, the 2023 Texas law governing certain school-district tax abatements. ### Did Toyota say what vehicle it plans to build there? Toyota has not publicly identified the future vehicle tied to Project Orca in the materials reviewed here. Reuters’ report described the filing as a request to build a new vehicle assembly line, but did not name a model. (ksat.com) Toyota spokesperson Melinda Higgins Louden told KSAT, “Our production philosophy is to build where we sell and buy where we build.” Her statement did not specify whether the added line would produce another truck, an SUV or a different vehicle. ### Why did this surface through industry chatter first? (money.usnews.com) May 18 social-media posts appear to have amplified a filing that had already surfaced in local and national reporting days earlier. Reuters published its report on May 14, and KSAT followed on May 15 with additional local details from the Texas filing. (ksat.com) Toyota’s U.S. newsroom, by contrast, did not show a standalone announcement on the San Antonio expansion among its latest corporate posts as of May 18. That helps explain why the item circulated first through trade chatter and social posts rather than through a formal company rollout. ### What happens next in the Texas expansion process? (money.usnews.com) The next visible steps are likely to come through Texas state and local approval channels rather than a product launch. Reuters said construction is expected to begin by the end of 2026, while KSAT reported the new assembly line is slated for completion in 2029 and vehicle production beginning in 2030. (pressroom.toyota.com) Toyota, Texas Comptroller filings and any local tax-abatement proceedings will be the places to watch for additional details on incentives, job commitments and the vehicle program tied to Project Orca. (money.usnews.com)