Toyota invests $282 million, adds 350 jobs to Alabama engine plant

Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday that it will invest $282 million into its engine plant in Huntsville, Ala., and add 350 jobs to begin building differentials, rear axles and other drivetrain products beyond its core internal combustion engines.

The plant, which has about 2,000 employees, builds engines for the Corolla, Corolla Cross, Highlander, Sienna, RAV4, Tacoma, Tundra and Sequoia. Last year, it produced more than 770,000 internal combustion engines, Toyota said.

A spokesperson for the Japanese automaker said the move will bring production of the components in-house from suppliers.

Toyota last week announced a new strategy for its internal combustion engines in cooperation with Japanese automaking partners Subaru and Mazda that it calls Engine Reborn.

However, the plant announcement was unrelated to the engine strategy, the spokesperson said.