BMW is happy to report that Plant Spartanburg was last year’s biggest automotive exporter in terms of value. According to numbers published by the US Department of Commerce, the SUVs made in South Carolina for export markets were worth a whopping $10.1 billion. Nearly 225,000 units from the “X” lineup made there left the country in 2024 out of a total of 396,117 vehicles assembled. Fun fact–almost half of BMWs sold in the US last year were built there.
From 2014 to 2024, the Spartanburg site exported more than 2.7 million BMWs, representing around 63% of all vehicles made there. During the 10-year interval, the SUVs shipped to other countries had a combined value exceeding $104 billion. Most vehicles were transported via the Port of Charleston (pictured below) and four other ports on the East Coast.
BMW makes the X3 through X7 models at Plant Spartanburg, along with the XM. The most important export markets for these models are Germany, South Korea, China, Canada, and Great Britain. It’s worth noting that the X4 is going away without a direct replacement. Production of the “G02” is scheduled to end by the middle of the year.
The luxury automaker will build at least six electric vehicles in Spartanburg by 2030. The first of the bunch is programmed to hit the assembly line near the end of 2026. Naturally, BMW won’t reveal the model’s identity, but we think it’ll be based on the next-generation X5 “G65.” A fully electric iX5 on the CLAR platform is planned. Come 2028, a hydrogen iX5 with a Toyota fuel cell will join the lineup.
BMW’s Spartanburg factory will also likely make iX6 and iX7 models based on the future X6 “G66” and X7 “G67.” Like the smaller X5, the posh SUVs will keep the CLAR platform instead of switching to Neue Klasse. The smaller iX3 hasn’t been confirmed for this factory, but BMW has said it will make the electric crossover in Mexico at the San Luis Potosi plant in 2027.
An iX4 is also allegedly coming, although it’s unclear where it’ll be made. We wouldn’t rule out the US factory. As for the yet-to-be-confirmed i3 Touring, logic tells us the electric wagon has fewer chances of carrying the “Made in USA” label.
Source: BMW
