BMW announced a $1.7 billion bet on South Carolina in 2022. Now the German automaker has finished that bet - and showed off the payoff.
The Spartanburg plant has been assembling vehicles since 1994. Over that time, it has built 7.3 million BMW vehicles. The company has shipped almost three million cars from the U.S., worth more than $113 billion.
In 2025 alone, Plant Spartanburg assembled 412,799 BMW X models. Roughly half of those vehicles were exported to nearly 120 countries.
BMW's U.S. operations support more than 120,000 jobs. The company contributes more than $43.3 billion annually to the U.S. economy.
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The expansion shows BMW's confidence in the United States. Milan Nedeljković, a board member at BMW AG, commented: "When we announced our investment plans for South Carolina in 2022, we made a clear commitment to the future of the BMW Group in the United States. Today, we are delivering on that commitment. The completion of our investments in Plant Spartanburg and Plant Woodruff demonstrates our confidence in the United States and reinforces South Carolina's role at the center of BMW Group's global operations."
South Carolina has become a vital manufacturing hub for BMW, with Plant Spartanburg operating for more than three decades. The new Plant Woodruff, opened as part of this expansion, adds assembly and logistics capacity. BMW's investment also includes infrastructure to support increased electric vehicle production, aligning with the company's global electrification push.
The completion of the $1.7 billion expansion solidifies South Carolina as a pivotal hub for BMW's global production. Since opening in 1994, Plant Spartanburg has manufactured over 7.3 million vehicles, with nearly 3 million exported to 120 countries, generating more than $113 billion in export value. The new investment not only boosts capacity for internal combustion models but also prepares the facility for a wave of electric vehicle assembly.
With the EV X5 and at least five more all-electric models planned for U.S. production by 2030, BMW is aligning its American manufacturing footprint with its global push toward electrification.
Sebastian Mackensen, BMW of North America's president and CEO, stated: "The new BMW X5 demonstrates our belief that innovation and customer choice go hand in hand. Our customers both in the U.S. and around the world will love the new BMW X5 - and our technology-open approach puts them in the driver's seat to enjoy the performance and premium experience that define BMW, regardless of which drivetrain they choose."
The X5 will be the first model to offer five different powertrain choices: gasoline, all-electric, plug-in hybrid, diesel, and hydrogen fuel cell.
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