Isuzu is investing ¥43 billion ($280 million) to build a new manufacturing plant in South Carolina, a timely move as Japanese carmakers brace for steep tariffs on components imported to the United States from Mexico and Canada.
Isuzu plans to have the site up and running by 2027, aiming to employ more than 700 workers there by 2028 and produce 50,000 vehicles annually by 2030, the company said Wednesday.
"We plan to use a flexible manufacturing methodology that can accommodate demand for gasoline cars, while keeping in mind the transition toward electric passenger cars in the long term,” it said in a statement.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told U.S. President Donald Trump last week that Isuzu plans to build a plant and create jobs in the U.S. Ishiba also said Toyota plans to announce more U.S. investments, as he looked to curry Trump’s favor on key economic and defense issues during his trip to Washington this month.
Trump’s potential tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada spell trouble for carmakers reliant on manufacturing plants in both countries, where they build or assemble countless cars for the U.S. market.
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