Skip to content

South Carolina is an Auto State

154.9K Jobs

Powered by South Carolina’s Auto Industry

Industry Impact

Every Job Tells a Story

South Carolina’s auto industry supports an estimated 154,852 jobs — from assembly lines to engineering labs, supply chain logistics to dealership floors.

223.0K

New Vehicles Sold

$65,096

Average labor income per auto job

$10.08B

Annual Labor Income

5%

Share of South Carolina Jobs Supported

6%

of Economy

$18.39B

State GDP

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and IHS Markit / S&P Global Mobility — South Carolina, 2024.

Automaker Facilities

Built in South Carolina

Facility Organization City State Type
BMW Manufacturing Co. BMW Group Greer South Carolina Assembly
Mercedes-Benz Vans Mercedes-Benz Ladson South Carolina Assembly
Volvo Car Industrial Operations Volvo Ridgeville South Carolina Assembly
Magna Operations Magna Piedmont South Carolina Parts Manufacturing
Magna Operations Magna Spartanburg South Carolina Parts Manufacturing
BMW Group Information Technology Research Center BMW Group Greenville South Carolina R&D / Engineering
BMW of North America Regional Office BMW Group Greer South Carolina Offices & Training Centers
BMW of North America Training Center BMW Group Greer South Carolina Offices & Training Centers
Ford Credit Greenville Business Center Ford Motor Company Greenville South Carolina Offices & Training Centers
Volvo Car Manufacturing Training Center Volvo Ridgeville South Carolina Offices & Training Centers
Volvo Car University & Jacob Office Building Volvo Ridgeville South Carolina Offices & Training Centers
Volvo South Carolina Technical Center Volvo Ridgeville South Carolina Offices & Training Centers
BMW of North America Continental Distribution Center BMW Group Spartanburg South Carolina Logistics
Mercedes-Benz USA Mercedes-Benz Ladson South Carolina Logistics
Volvo Car US Operations Volvo Summerville South Carolina Logistics
Volvo Car USA Volvo Ridgeville South Carolina Logistics
BMW Performance Center BMW Group Greer South Carolina Other
Explore Nationwide Facilities
Source: Alliance for Automotive Innovation — Member Facility Directory, South Carolina, 2024.

Tax Revenue Generation

$1.18B

in state tax revenue generated by the automotive industry’s economic activity.

8%

of total state tax revenue

$882.16M

Federal income taxes

$1.37B

Vehicle use tax / licenses / fees

$502.47M

New vehicle sales taxes

$145.51M

Parts & services sales tax

$76.77M

Corporate profits taxes

$293.95M

Used vehicle sales taxes

Source: Multi-industry contribution analysis of the economic impact of automotive manufacturing, selling, repairing, renting, and additional maintenance modeled using IMPLAN economic analysis data software, 2023 data year.

Vehicles Sold

223.0K

2024 Vehicle Sales

$10.05B

The average age of South Carolina vehicles is 13.7 years

Compared to the national average of 12.2 years

Source: Compiled by Alliance for Automotive Innovation with data provided by S&P Global Mobility, sales figures represent new vehicle registrations between January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024; average age compiled by Alliance for Automotive Innovation with data provided by S&P Global Mobility, vehicles in operation as of December 31, 2024; New vehicle sales revenue derived from NADA Data.

New vehicle purchases and registrations

223.0K

new vehicles sold across South Carolina in 2024

Purchases ByBody Style

  • 129.8K UVs (58.19%)
  • 45.3K Pickups (20.31%)
  • 40.1K Cars (17.97%)
  • 7.9K Vans/Minivans (3.52%)

Purchases ByPowertrain

  • 213.4K ICE / Hybrid (95.67%)
  • 7.3K Electric (3.27%)
  • 2.4K Plug-in Hybrid (1.06%)

Source: Registration figures compiled by Alliance for Automotive Innovation with data provided by S&P Global Mobility as of December 31, 2024; new purchase figures compiled by Alliance for Automotive Innovation with data provided by S&P Global Mobility representing new vehicle registrations between January 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024.

Activity at Ports

South Carolina’s Auto Trade Footprint

South Carolina ports moved $16.05B in automotive trade in 2024 alone, led by exports to Germany. Past-decade totals reach $147.31B.

2024 Imports

2024 Exports

$6.98B

Vehicles & parts entering SC ports

$9.07B

Vehicles & parts shipped from SC ports

Past Decade Totals

$55.33B

Vehicles & parts entering SC ports

$91.98B

Vehicles & parts shipped from SC ports

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. International Trade Statistics — South Carolina ports of entry, 2024.

Fueling

South Carolina’s Fueling Network

Gasoline still anchors the network statewide, with 608 public EV charging stations across South Carolina.

Gasoline Stations

3,270

EV Level 2 Charging Ports

1,066

EV DC Fast Charging Ports

525

Source: U.S. Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center — South Carolina, 2024.

Consumers

72% of South Carolina households own their homes, and 76% of workers drive alone to work.

Median Household Income

$67.8K

Owner Occupied Housing

72%

Rental Occupied Housing

28%

Commutingto Work

  • Drove Alone to Work (76%)
  • Worked from Home (12%)
  • Carpooled (9%)
  • Other (3%)
  • Public Transit (0%)

HousingType

  • Single-Family (65%)
  • Mobile / RV / Boat (14%)
  • 20+ Unit Buildings (6%)
  • 2-4 Units (5%)
  • 1-Unit (Attached) (4%)
  • 5-9 Units (4%)
  • 10-19 Units (3%)

Source: Figures compiled by Alliance for Automotive Innovation with data provided U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 2023.

Employment

Jobs Across the State

Headquarters, assembly plants, R&D centers, and supplier operations across the state — led by South Carolina’s largest automotive employers.

Source: Alliance for Automotive Innovation — Member Facility Directory, South Carolina, 2024.

  • 11,000

    Employees

    BMW Group

    BMW Manufacturing Co.

  • 1,671

    Employees

    Magna

    Magna Operations

  • 1,600

    Employees

    Mercedes-Benz

    Mercedes-Benz Vans

  • 1,262

    Employees

    Volvo

    Volvo Car Industrial Operations

Stay Informed

Get the latest policy updates and industry insights delivered to your inbox.