The longest Toyota engine line in North America created 450 more jobs and now produces two all-new engines.
If you’re wondering where the engine in your Toyota comes from, you may need to look no further than Huntsville, Alabama. Home to Toyota Motor Manufacturing, this plant produces one-third of Toyota’s U.S. engines, churning out millions of units during its 21-year history.
The location is already notable for its variety. After all, it’s the only plant to build four-cylinder, V6, and twin-turbo engines under one roof. But it recently made history yet again by introducing a special production line for two all-new engines — the i-FORCE and i-FORCE MAX. Currently available on the redesigned 2022 Tundra, these twin-turbo V6s are Toyota’s most powerful engines yet. The i-FORCE MAX is even a hybrid, cutting emissions and shattering stereotypes.
Equally impressive are the opportunities this expansion creates for the local Huntsville community. The addition of the new line produced more than 450 new jobs, increasing the plant’s total employee count to about 1,800.
“For the last 20 years, our state and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama have shared a mutually beneficial relationship that has created remarkable outcomes for Alabamians,” Alabama Governor Kay Ivey said. “Toyota’s $288 million investment to produce the all-new twin-turbo V6 engine continues to demonstrate that Alabama is not only open for business, but is the best place to do business.”
Taking after its engines’ namesake, the new production line is a force to be reckoned with. It can make a new engine every 58 seconds, capping at 18,000 monthly, and is North America's longest Toyota engine line at 142 yards. Before this expansion, the plant made about half a million engines a year — but now it can make nearly one million.
The standard i-FORCE 3.5L twin-turbo engine runs on gas, producing 389 horsepower. Amazingly, the hybrid i-FORCE MAX outdoes this number, bringing in 437 horsepower. Both engines average 20 miles per gallon or more combined — a sizable accomplishment for a vehicle as large as the 2022 Tundra.
Check out your local Toyota dealership to see Alabama-made engines in action or learn more about job openings at Toyota manufacturing here.