Export Streak Continues
A report from the U.S. Department of Commerce shows that BMW was the largest automotive exporter by value in 2025, once again beating homegrown brands like Ford. The German marque exported nearly 200,000 vehicles — out of a total production of 412,799 — last year, reportedly valued at about $9 billion.
To be fair, the vehicles produced at BMW’s Spartanburg plant in South Carolina are X models, which are generally more expensive than their sedan counterparts and benefit from the strong global demand for SUVs. The report did not specify which models accounted for the largest share of exports, though high-volume SUVs such as the X3 and X5 likely played a significant role. Still, it is an impressive record for a foreign automaker that has dominated the top spot since 2014. Over that span, the company has exported nearly three million vehicles with a total value of about $113 billion.
From X3 to XM
The models produced at the Spartanburg plant are the X3, X5, X6, X7, and XM. The X4, a more stylish version of the X3, was also produced at the facility but was discontinued last year, reportedly to make room for future models, likely including Neue Klasse electric vehicles. The company plans to produce at least six EVs at the South Carolina plant by 2030.
About 1,500 vehicles are produced daily, with roughly half shipped to 120 countries. These vehicles are primarily exported through the Port of Charleston, South Carolina, and other East Coast ports. Over 14,000 vehicles are also exported by rail.
The Spartanburg plant, which began operations in 1994, currently employs about 11,000 people, highlighting how the facility supports thousands of jobs in the United States.
BMW’s American Footprint
Robert Engelhorn, president and CEO of BMW Manufacturing in Spartanburg, also highlighted the plant’s contribution to the U.S. economy, saying, “Plant Spartanburg is proud to be the largest automotive exporter by value in the United States, a distinction that underscores our commitment to both the state of South Carolina and the nation’s economic strength.”
Aside from exporting vehicles, the Spartanburg plant also helps BMW reduce its exposure to tariffs imposed on imported vehicles, which have made it more difficult for brands without local manufacturing to remain competitive in the U.S. market. One such example is Audi, BMW’s direct rival, whose best-selling model, the Q5, is imported from Mexico.
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