BMW Manufacturing is Largest Automotive Exporter by Value for Ninth Consecutive Year and South Carolina is leading the way

For the ninth consecutive year, BMW Manufacturing led the nation in automotive exports by value, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The South Carolina plant exported 227,029 BMW Sports Activity Vehicles and Coupes during 2022 with an export value of nearly $9.6 billion. The BMWs produced at Plant Spartanburg were exported through the Port of Charleston, SC, and through five other southeastern ports: Savannah, GA; Brunswick, GA; Jacksonville, FL; Miami, FL; and Everglades, FL. More than 17,000 BMWs were exported via rail.

During 2022, Germany became the top export market from BMW Manufacturing (15.5% of export volume), followed by China (13.5%), South Korea (12.8%), Canada (7.5%), and Great Britain (5.6%).

Full Press Release

• Export Value From South Carolina Plant Totals Nearly $9.6 Billion. 
• 416,301 Sports Activity Vehicles and Coupes Produced in the U.S. Last Year.
• Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles Total More Than 16% of Production.
• Start of Production for 2024 BMW X5 and BMW X6 Begins in April.

Spartanburg, S.C.  For the ninth consecutive year, BMW Manufacturing led the nation in automotive exports by value, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The South Carolina plant exported 227,029 BMW Sports Activity Vehicles and Coupes during 2022 with an export value of nearly $9.6 billion. The BMWs produced at Plant Spartanburg were exported through the Port of Charleston, SC (more than 182,000 units), and through five other southeastern ports: Savannah, GA; Brunswick, GA; Jacksonville, FL; Miami, FL; and Everglades, FL. More than 17,000 BMWs were exported via rail. 

During 2022, Germany became the top export market from BMW Manufacturing (15.5% of export volume), followed by China (13.5%), South Korea (12.8%), Canada (7.5%), and Great Britain (5.6%). 

“Free trade and open markets enable growth and prosperity. BMW and South Carolina are a good example of this,” said Milan Nedeljković, BMW AG Board Member for Production. “I am proud of the Spartanburg plant’s continued performance, which contributes to the success of the BMW Group.” 

“Customers around the world continue to seek out premium quality BMWs made in South Carolina, and we are proud to be the largest automotive exporter by value for the past nine years” said Dr. Robert Engelhorn, president and CEO of BMW Manufacturing. “Our success is due to the highly-skilled and dedicated workforce at Plant Spartanburg. These achievements are significant and clearly reinforce BMW’s ongoing commitment to South Carolina and the United States.”  

2022 Production Highlights 

The team at Plant Spartanburg produced 416,301 Sports Activity Vehicles and Coupes during 2022, the second-highest production total in the plant’s history. There were four highlights of production:

• Launch of the new BMW X7 that included extensive exterior and interior design refinements and an expanded range of standard equipment.
• Launch of the all-new BMW XM, the first ever high-performance car with an electrified drive system from BMW M. 
• Production of 69,200 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, making up 16.6% of the plant’s total volume (BMW X3 xDrive30e, BMW X5 xDrive45e, and BMW XM). 
• Plant Spartanburg X models made up slightly more than 60 percent of all BMW vehicles sold in the U.S. last year.

The year’s most significant highlight was the BMW Group’s announcement of its electromobility plan in the United States. In October, BMW Group Chairman of the Board of Management, Oliver Zipse, announced a $1.7 billion investment, including $1 billion to prepare the plant for the production of fully-electric vehicles and $700 million to build a high-voltage battery assembly facility in Woodruff, SC. By 2030, the BMW Group will build at least six fully-electric models in the United States. 

Beginning in April, the plant will start production of the 2024 BMW X5 and BMW X6. These updated models include new design details, expanded standard equipment, and advancements in digital technology. The plug-in hybrid drive in the 2024 BMW X5 xDrive50e has significantly more power and a greater purely electric range than its predecessor. 

Government officials applauded BMW’s export success.

“For over three decades, BMW’s commitment to South Carolina continues to demonstrate the power of partnership,” said South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster. “With record-setting exports and its latest electromobility investment at Plant Spartanburg, BMW not only shows the world that South Carolina paves the way to automotive success – but that our state is home to the industry’s future.”

“BMW’s continued success in South Carolina is a direct result of the collaboration, commitment, and incredible workforce necessary to build one of the world’s best modern vehicles,” said South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III. “To consistently remain a global leader in the export sales of completed passenger vehicles and accelerate the future of vehicle electrification from our borders underscores the strength and dependability of South Carolina’s automotive industry. We value our partnership with BMW, and the mutual growth their continued investment has afforded both Plant Spartanburg and the state of South Carolina.” 

“Congratulations to BMW Manufacturing on being named the largest U.S. automotive exporter by value for the ninth consecutive year,” said SC Ports President and CEO Barbara Melvin. “For nearly 30 years, SC Ports has had a strong partnership with BMW Manufacturing. BMW exports 60 percent of its South Carolina-made vehicles to more than 120 countries through the Port of Charleston. We are proud to support the shipping needs of this world-class automotive company, and we look forward to continued success for BMW.” 

Since 1992, the BMW Group has invested nearly $12.4 billion in its South Carolina operations. BMW Manufacturing is the largest BMW Group plant in the world, producing more than 1,500 vehicles each day. The plant is an important part of BMW’s global production network and plays a critical role in meeting the high demand for BMW Sports Activity Vehicles and Coupes in the U.S. and around the world. Nearly 60 percent of its vehicles are shipped to about 120 global markets, making BMW the largest automotive exporter by value in the United States for nine consecutive years. The model portfolio includes six top-selling BMW X models, five Motorsport X models, and three plug-in hybrid electric vehicle X models. The factory has an annual production capacity of up to 450,000 vehicles and employs more than 11,000 people.