Mexico Automotive Investment Rises 8.8% in 2026

Mexican automotive investment showed signs of recovery in the third quarter of 2026, despite a decline in the number of projects and announced jobs, as well as ongoing trade uncertainty in North America. According to the Report on Automotive Investment in Mexico during the Current Administration 2026, published by Cluster Industrial B2B, 40 investment projects from 11 countries were identified between July and September, totaling US$1.2 billion, a 29.29% increase compared with the same period in 2025.

However, the number of projects declined by 11.1% year over year in the third quarter. Meanwhile, reported investment fell by 56.8% compared with the second quarter of 2026, highlighting an uneven recovery characterized by large-scale investments and increasingly selective business decisions.

Based on ongoing monitoring by Cluster Industrial Media and research conducted by Cluster Industrial B2B's Business Intelligence department, the report analyzes investment in Mexico, including countries of origin, geographic distribution, job creation, and the sector's transition toward electromobility.

Despite the recent slowdown, Mexico attracted US$6.2 billion across 139 investment projects during the first nine months of 2026, representing an 8.83% year-over-year increase from the US$5.7 billion reported during the same period in 2025.

Electromobility also recorded significant growth, with 44 projects totaling US$2.7 billion, an 187.64% increase in investment compared with January–September 2025.

However, the increase in committed capital has not translated proportionally into job creation. During the first nine months of 2026, the projects tracked generated 23,918 jobs, down 41.81% year over year. Meanwhile, the area of industrial land under construction reached 398.34 hectares, a 78.66% decrease compared with the same period last year.