The Mazda–Toyota joint venture said it would invest an extra $830 million in its Huntsville plant for new manufacturing technology and worker training, raising the total from the $1.6 billion announced in 2018 to about $2.311 billion. The plant was designed to build up to 150,000 Mazda crossovers and 150,000 Toyota SUVs a year with up to 4,000 workers; about 600 had been hired by then. What the money paid for Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced the increase on August 13, 2020. The extra $830 million paid for more advanced production technology, more worker training, line changes for the Mazda model and design changes for the Toyota SUV. Neither vehicle had been named yet. Building the plant By then, the roof, walls, floors and much of the wiring and ductwork were 75% to 100% finished. Mazda Toyota said it would reopen hiring for production jobs later in 2020. The two models Toyota began building the Corolla Cross, the first Corolla crossover, on the plant's Apollo line in September 2021. Mazda started the CX-50 on the Discovery line in January 2022. The two lines can build up to 300,000 vehicles a year.
