MENU
SEARCHThe sector generates over $64 billion in annual economic impact in South Carolina, making it the largest and fastest-growing manufacturing subsector in the state.
Automotive manufacturing accounts for 16% of South Carolina's total manufacturing footprint.
Canva
A recent study out of South Carolina paints a positive picture for automotive manufacturing in a state heavily dependent on the sector.
The South Carolina Manufacturers & Commerce and SC Future Makers' “The Economic Impact of Manufacturing in South Carolina” report showed automotive manufacturing is the state's largest and fastest-growing manufacturing subsector.
As a whole, the manufacturing industry plays a big role in South Carolina’s economy, supporting more than 30% of all jobs, according to the report. The automotive sector accounts for 16% of the state’s total manufacturing footprint and has grown more than three times faster than the manufacturing industry there all together.
“New automotive manufacturing investments have a relatively unique ability to scale-up employment in the Palmetto State,” the study said.
The auto sector supports nearly 120,000 jobs in South Carolina with an employment multiplier of 4.6, which means that for every 10 jobs created in auto manufacturing there are an additional 36 jobs created elsewhere in the state for a total of 46 jobs.
Between 2010 and 2024, the state’s cumulative auto manufacturing employment growth hit 106%, much higher than the manufacturing industry in general, which rose about 27%, the report said. BMW, Mercedes and Volvo have manufacturing plants in South Carolina.
The study estimated that automotive manufacturing generates over $64 billion in annual economic impact for the state, an example of the sector's importance in the U.S. as a whole.
According to data from the Center for Automotive Research, the industry generates over $450 billion in gross domestic product, supports nearly $100 billion in local, state and federal tax revenue, and contributes directly and indirectly total employment of over three million jobs across the U.S.
Wholesale auto conversion rates dropped slightly as auction buyers proved picky last week, analysts observed.
Read More →
Fast charging of electric vehicles provides a solution for range anxiety, but it also poses a risk to battery cycle life due to increased temperatures, according to an EV supply chain data provider.
Read More →
Expanding Midwest automotive group picks up three stores as part of the robust transaction activity early this year.
Read More →
Stellantis is adding a third end-of-life vehicle dismantling facility to feed its growing reuse business sparked in large part by autos’ growing lifespans.
Read More →
Cox Automotive data shows Americans doubled down on big-is-better despite price increases. Slightly higher incentives helped fuel the demand.
Read More →
The automaker says its movement of some electric-vehicle work to the S.C. factory is part of a more tailored product focus. It also plans to add a new hybrid model to the plant’s itinerary.
Read More →
Last week's wholesale automotive auction activity continued in a healthy mode, though buyers practiced selectivity.
Read More →
CarGurus’ first quarterly review of 2026 shows that affordability concerns are continuing to drive consumer purchases with a shift to more fuel-efficient options.
Read More →
JD Power analysts see auto retail faring this year’s storms well through various means, though it acknowledges conditions are challenging to accurately predict.
Read More →
Car insurance premiums have continued to decline so far this year, the overall national average settling at $138 per month in March, according to Insurify data.
Read More →