Navistar Doubles Down on San Antonio With Strategic Asset Acquisition

Navistar International is ramping up its Texas footprint by securing a second major property in San Antonio, signaling a significant commitment to its electrification and autonomous vehicle initiatives. The move raises the company’s total regional investment commitment to over $275 million and is expected to generate more than 650 jobs across the San Antonio area—pending approval of local incentive packages.

Expanding Beyond Manufacturing

The newly acquired property, located approximately eight miles from Navistar’s primary manufacturing facility, will serve a multifaceted role in supporting operations. Beyond housing support functions for the main plant, the site will accommodate a state-of-the-art vehicle validation center and a truck specialty customization hub. These facilities underscore Navistar’s strategic pivot toward advanced technologies and next-generation powertrains.

Electric Trucks and Innovation at the Center

The comprehensive San Antonio development supports Navistar 4.0, the company’s enterprise-wide growth initiative. The flagship 900,000-square-foot manufacturing plant will begin Class 6-8 vehicle production in 2022, with a particular emphasis on electric-powered truck models. The secondary property ensures that research, testing, and customization operations can operate in proximity to production lines, streamlining development cycles for connected and autonomous vehicle technologies.

The new validation center will focus on component testing for Navistar’s expanding electric truck portfolio, while the specialty center will handle post-sale vehicle customization to meet customer specifications. This co-location strategy reflects broader industry trends toward integrating R&D, manufacturing, and after-sales support within regional hubs.

Workforce Development and Timeline

Beginning in June 2021, project engineers will transition to the newly acquired property to oversee final design and construction phases of the main manufacturing facility. The site will also function as a hiring and training center, preparing the workforce for production launch in 2022. This phased approach allows Navistar to build institutional knowledge and establish supply chain relationships ahead of full operational capacity.

The company continues collaborating with the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation and local government bodies to finalize incentive packages. The Texas expansion builds on similar strategic investments, including a $125 million allocation to Navistar’s Huntsville, Alabama facility for next-generation big-bore powertrain development.