The questions continue in North Carolina following its second place finish to Alabama in attracting the $1.6 billion Toyota-Mazda factory.

N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper told the Triad Business Journal on Tuesday said he felt the two motor companies looked at proximity and profit margin to make their choice.

Published reports last week stated that Toyota and Mazda opted for Alabama due to its location amid an already-running automotive supply chain. The Limestone County site for the plant, to be operational in 2021, is near Toyota's existing Huntsville engine factory and in the middle of suppliers that stretch from Alabama to Kentucky.

But Cooper also said Toyota's decision means it is looking to the future, which involves electric vehicles. Toyota reportedly plans to build the Corolla in Huntsville using the Toyota New Global Architecture, which features more advanced powertrains and lighter weight vehicles.

"I do think that with Toyota particularly ... that was the main reason that they looked at going to Alabama and the small margin of profit they had on the electric cars," Cooper said. "And they wanted to go where they were comfortable. But I believe that it's wide open for advanced manufacturing, still including auto manufacturers, and we're going to continue to work to attract companies to that megasite and others across the state."

Asked if there was anything more the state could have done to attract the project, Cooper said, "I guess we could have picked up North Carolina and moved it to the Mississippi River. That was about the only thing that kept us from being the final choice for Toyota. It was being in that middle U.S. auto supply-chain."

North Carolina reportedly offered $1.5 billion in incentives in its bid.