Sebastian Mackensen, BMW's president and CEO of North America, said the automaker is committed to manufacturing in the US as it completes a $1.7 billion expansion of its South Carolina plant.
BMW is “here for the long game” in the US as it completes a $1.7 billion investment in South Carolina and prepares to build electric vehicles at its largest plant, its North American CEO told FOX Business.
Sebastian Mackensen, president and CEO of BMW of North America, said the investment marks a major milestone in the U.S. auto manufacturing system and proves that BMW is delivering on more than just promises.
“It is one thing to announce an investment and another to make the investment, to implement it, [and] to build the expansion of this facility,” Mackensen told FOX Business.
The expansion, first announced for 2022, includes a $1 billion upgrade at BMW's Spartanburg plant and a $700 million battery assembly facility in Woodruff, South Carolina.
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Sebastian Mackensen, president and CEO of BMW of North America, said the investment marks a major milestone in the U.S. auto manufacturing system and proves that BMW is delivering on more than just promises. (FOX Business / Fox News)
As part of that, BMW also unveiled the new X5 on Tuesday at Plant Spartanburg. The automaker said its new iX5, the first battery-powered BMW X5, will be the first fully electric BMW assembled in the US when it goes into production later this year.
The iX5 is expected to be the first of many electric cars built in South Carolina. At least five fully electric BMW models are expected to be assembled in the US by 2030, according to the company.
The move comes as other automakers scale back or delay their EV plans. BMW, however, says it is staying the course.
“We are convinced that the EV is the right way to keep driving,” Mackensen said. “Will it be a lot of cars sold? Maybe not in the US, at least not in the foreseeable future. But at the same time, we are exporting to world markets from this plant.”
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BMW showcases the new X5 at its Spartanburg, South Carolina plant on June 28, 2026. | Fox News
That global reach has long been central to Plant Spartanburg's role within BMW's manufacturing network.
Plant Spartanburg, which was founded more than three decades ago, currently assembles BMW vehicles including the X3, X6, X7 and XM for US and international customers.
Mackensen said BMW's growth in South Carolina has also had a significant economic impact, helping to attract suppliers and other businesses to the region.
“It had a negative impact on the whole community, not just Greenville [and] Spartanburg, but also across the state,” Mackensen said.
That local focus is also part of a larger US strategy. Mackensen said the US is BMW's second largest market by volume and remains the core of the company's plans around the world.
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The vehicles are awaiting shipment at the Port of Charleston in South Carolina. (BMW / Fox News)
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“It shows our clear commitment to the American market,” Mackensen told FOX Business. “It makes a lot of sense to assemble your vehicles where your customers are.”
BMW said it has become America's largest auto exporter for more than a decade, exporting nearly 3 million vehicles worth more than $113 billion from 2014 to 2025.
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FOX Business' Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
