Toyota is looking to end production at a joint venture factory in California that it had held with GM in March 2010, according to a report in Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun.
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Toyota has started to inform its main suppliers about the plans, the Asahi said.
Reuters reported that a Toyota spokesman said the company has reached no official decision yet.
The paper cited a source as saying Toyota would transfer production of the Tacoma pickup truck to its light truck factory in San Antonio, Texas in June. It will move output of the Corolla sedan to its factory in Ontario, Canada, and a factory in Japan, the report said.
The fate of the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc (NUMMI ) plant in Fremont has become a politically charged issue in California, with lawmakers and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appealing to Toyota to save the 24 year old plant and its 4,500 jobs.
GM pulled out of the joint venture in June leaving its share with Motors Liquidation, the entity that has taken over management of the ‘old GM’ assets left in bankruptcy.
Toyota said it would make a decision by the end of August.
