Automotive Manufacturing & EV Battery Hub

Driving the Future in Upstate

South Carolina is a driving force in the automotive industry, home to the world’s largest BMW production facility, and Volvo and Mercedes-Benz assembly plants, and the newly announced Scout Motors.

With a robust ecosystem of automotive manufacturing companies in South Carolina, our state’s automotive excellence is revving into high gear. There are 33 passenger and commercial vehicle plants within a one-day’s drive of Upstate SC.

With a high concentration of engineering talent and a thriving cluster of automotive companies Upstate SC has become one of the nation’s top regions for automotive manufacturing and research. From composite materials to autonomous systems, collaborative research driven by corporate partnerships is accelerating change in the automotive industry.

And with a central location to the Battery Belt and an ecosystem that includes battery technology, recycling and production, the electric vehicle industry is charging up in the Upstate.

Global Automotive Companies in Greenville, Spartanburg & the Upstate SC Region

Upstate South Carolina is home to more than 250 automotive-related companies, as well as more than 2,300 manufacturers. Industry leaders making their home in the region include:

BMW MANUFACTURING

Employing more than 11,000 people to assemble X3, X4, X5, X6, X7 and XM models, BMW Manufacturing in Spartanburg is the company’s largest worldwide production facility, assembling more than 1,500 vehicles each day. To date, BMW has invested over $13.3 billion in Upstate South Carolina.

BMW Manufacturing currently assembles nine gas-powered models and two plug-in hybrids, and they are revving up to assemble six new fully electric models by 2030. BMW’s most recent investment for electric vehicles includes a $1 billion at the Spartanburg facility, $700 million for a high-voltage battery assembly facility in the city of Woodruff, and a partnership with battery producer AESC in Florence SC.

MICHELIN

In 1973, Michelin established its first United States production facility within the Upstate. Since then, Michelin has established multiple Upstate locations, including its North American Headquarters, training facility, research center, test track and five production facilities.

ZF GROUP

Upstate SC is home to ZF’s largest U.S. facility , which produces fuel-efficient 8- and 9-speed automatic transmissions for the passenger car and light truck market. At 1.4 million square feet and with more than 3,000 employees, the Upstate South Carolina auto plant produces more than 1.2 million transmissions per year. In 2025, the facility will begin manufacturing the eight-speed plug-in hybrid transmission known as 8HP Gen4 PHEV.

OSHKOSH DEFENSE

Tactical vehicle manufacturer Oshkosh Defense is establishing a $155 million Upstate production facility for zero-emission battery electric vehicles and fuel-efficient low-emission internal combustion engine vehicles used in the United States Postal Service (USPS) Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) program.

See the Largest Automotive Industry Companies in Upstate SC

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Learn why Sage Automotive, a global designer and manufacturer of automotive interior materials, chose Greenville, SC for its headquarters.

Fueling Automotive Innovation in Upstate SC

Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research

Cutting-edge mobility technologies and the next generation of engineers are emerging from CU-ICAR, a collaborative research park that brings South Carolina’s automotive industry and education together. For mobility and technology companies that want to join the Upstate’s ecosystem, the 250-acre campus has office space from turnkey workspace to long term lease options.

Home to Clemson’s Department of Automotive Engineering, CU-ICAR has conferred more than 1,000 graduate degrees in the 15 years since the program was launched. And now Automotive Engineering is available to undergraduate students, with a program focus on EV and autonomous vehicles.

Through industry-sponsored research and centers such as the Clemson Center for Advanced Manufacturing and the Clemson Composites Center, Upstate minds are creating advancements in: advanced powertrains, systems integration, vehicular electronics, human factors/HMI, manufacturing and materials, vehicle-to-vehicle infrastructure, and propulsion. Electric vehicle research includes battery electrochemistry and materials; battery manufacturing; battery control, management, and vehicle integration; and electric charging and grid integration.

International Transportation Innovation Center

The International Transportation Innovation Center (iTiC) develops premier technology testbeds to support all forms of mobility innovations, including zero-emission, automated and connected vehicles and systems. iTiC provides automakers, technology suppliers, research universities, and startups the ability to test and develop their innovations in open and/or closed testbed environments.

South Carolina Automotive Council

Established as an initiative by the South Carolina’s Manufacturers Alliance, the South Carolina Automotive Council is a member-based organization committed to serving automotive-related manufacturers through programs, services, advocacy and partnership.

Workforce & Training Fueling Upstate SC’s Auto Industry

Technical Training

Automotive companies in South Carolina are supported by the strong technical training and workforce development system throughout the state.

To support the growing demand for engineering expertise, CU-ICAR is graduating technical leaders equipped with critical thinking, technical skills, and creativity required to navigate the increasing complexity of products in a global market.

Supplying technical positions for the automotive industry, the SC Technical College System works hand-in-hand with its affiliate programs: readySC™, Apprenticeship Carolina™ and QuickJobs Carolina™, so companies located in the area can take full advantage of the extensive education and training networks.

This ecosystem ensures that businesses in the Upstate, including EV battery manufacturers and automotive plants, have access to a highly skilled and specialized workforce to support growth and innovation.

Specialized Manufacturing Programs

Upstate South Carolina is home to four technical colleges focused on serving the needs of local business and industry. The technical college system in the Upstate offers multiple automotive related degrees and certificates, including:

Mechatronics Technology
Automotive Technology
Mechanical Engineering Technology with Auto Focus
Welding Programs
Machine Tool Technology
Lean Manufacturing & ISO Programs

The Center for Manufacturing Innovation

The Center for Manufacturing Innovation (CMI) is a collaboration between a leading research university, an innovative technical college and manufacturers to create a center that enhances the development and implementation of advanced manufacturing technologies.

The primary goal for CMI is to increase the number of skilled workers to close the skills gap in manufacturing by offering curriculum designed to meet industry needs. CMI features the first-of-its-kind manufacturing honors college as well as incubation space for start-ups.

Located at CMI, the Vehicle Assembly Center is a collaboration of CU-ICAR, Greenville Technical College, BMW Manufacturing and Siemens. The 4,000-square-foot center has a full vehicle assembly line, joining lab, sub-assembly lab, embedded devices lab, collaborative robotics center and autonomous factory vehicles.

REVVED: Collaborative EV Education

Through REVVED, a consortium of institutions are “Revolutionizing Electric Vehicle Education” using evidence-based research to investigate integration of virtual and augmented reality systems to support electric vehicle manufacturing and education. Education partners include Clemson University, Greenville Technical College, Spartanburg Community College & Trident Technical College. Industry partners include BMW, Daimler, Michelin, Proterra and Volvo.

Powering the Future of EV Battery Manufacturing

Upstate South Carolina has emerged as a hub for EV battery manufacturing, attracting substantial investments and fostering industry growth. In the five years, Upstate SC has seen $4.2 billion in automotive investment as existing companies ramp up and new companies plug in, such as:

EnerSys, global leader in energy storage systems and solutions, announced plans to build a $500 million lithium-ion battery cell plant in Greenville County, expected to create 500 jobs.
BMW has been operating in Spartanburg for decades, and continues expanding in Upstate SC with a $1.7 billion investment to expand local operations and support the roll-out of its electromobility plan, creating 300 jobs in the region.
Bosch, a leading global supplier of technology and services, invested $200 million expanding its operations in Anderson, creating 350 new jobs. The expansion supported the company’s plans for produce fuel cell stacks that propel hydrogen-powered vehicles.

In Manufacturing Dive’s article “Why EV companies are flocking to South Carolina,” the state’s attractive tax incentives and skilled labor pool are highlighted as key factors driving South Carolina’s rapid emergence as a hub for EV battery manufacturing.