The Japanese automaker Toyota decided to produce its Tacoma pickup truck with hybrid electric (HEV) technology at its facilities in Mexico for the entire North American market.
“The Tacoma produced in Mexico is to satisfy the demand of the North American region, it is the best-selling pickup in the United States, therefore more than 90 percent of the Tacoma production will be exported to the United States and Canada,” said the director of Public Relations of Toyota Motors México, Marisol Blanco, to T21, a media outlet specialized in logistics in the country.
The production volume was not stated. Although the Tacoma is produced in Toyota's two plants in Mexico, it is important to mention that the Mexican company Metalsa built its plant within the Toyota facilities in Guanajuato to produce 300,000 chassis for the Tacoma per year.
Although the truck is also produced at the Toyota plant in Baja California, the Guanajuato plant received an investment of $328 million for the Tacoma HEV.
Data from the specialized press show that Toyota is the largest vehicle seller in the world, with approximately 9.5 million units in 2023, well above second place, Volkswagen with around 5.3 million units.
In Mexico, Toyota is the eighth largest producer (of 13 companies installed in Mexico) with a 4.9 percent share of the 1.65 million vehicles manufactured in the first five months of the year. The leader is General Motors with 21.9 percent of the total.