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 Facilities
See a List of All Facilities Across South Carolina.
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%)
5.46M
vehicles registered across South Carolina in 2024
Registrations ByBody Style
- 2.01M UVs (37.65%)
- 1.80M Cars (33.75%)
- 1.26M Pickups (23.68%)
- 261.9K Vans/Minivans (4.92%)
Registrations ByPowertrain
- 5.42M ICE / Hybrid (99.33%)
- 25.8K Electric (0.47%)
- 10.8K Plug-in Hybrid (0.20%)
- 2 Fuel Cell (0.00%)
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.
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
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