Toyota Alabama has assembled its 10-millionth engine, an i-Force MAX 2.4-liter, to power an all-new hybrid Tacoma. The engine plant, which first broke ground in 2001, assembles a third of all Toyota engines in North America.

Toyota Alabama’s 2,000 team members assemble upwards of 777,000 engines a year.

When the plant opened with only one production line more than 20 years ago, I was a part of the team that helped start engine production in Alabama. Since starting on the production line, Toyota has challenged me to learn many different roles. I am proud to oversee the i-FORCE 2.4-liter turbo engine line and to know that I have been a part of us reaching this milestone since day one.

—Brandon French, senior manager of production at Toyota Alabama

The i-FORCE MAX pairs a 2.4-liter engine with a 48-hp electric motor and a integrated exclusively into the 8-speed transmission along with a 1.87 kWh NiMH battery for the most powerful powertrain ever offered on Tacoma. With a total system output of up to 326 horsepower and 465 lb.-ft. of torque—a 75% increase in torque compared to the previous generation V6-powered truck.

The i-FORCE MAX powertrain’s available 326 HP and 465 lb-ft of torque is delivered almost instantaneously, kicking in at a low revving 1,700 rpm. The 8-speed automatic transmission with sequential shift mode and uphill/downhill shift logic helps Tacoma maintain gear selection longer during elevation changes without the need to downshift, making long road trips more pleasant than ever.