Audi plans first US factory at Middle Georgia Megasite with US$4 billion investment and 4,500 jobs

The announcement: Audi's first US production site

Audi has announced plans to establish its first US production site in Georgia, with an intended investment of around US$4 billion and the creation of approximately 4,500 jobs. The company says construction of the plant, designed for an annual production capacity of up to 200,000 vehicles, is scheduled to begin in 2027, with production planned to start in the early 2030s. Audi describes the investment as a long-term commitment to the United States intended to make North America a third major pillar of its global production network alongside Europe and China. ¹²

The plan was announced publicly at a campaign rally in Perry, central Georgia, where President Donald Trump told supporters the plant would produce 200,000 SUVs a year and credited his tariff policies for the decision, as reported by CNBC and separately by Deutsche Welle. Audi chief executive Gernot Döllner said at the event: "We are planning to bring our biggest and most premium SUVs, and produce them here in Macon, Georgia. This is a long-term investment because we believe in the American market." ⁴⁵

The state of Georgia confirmed the project in its own release, with Governor Brian Kemp and Döllner announcing that Audi will build at the Middle Georgia Megasite. Georgia's economic development office said Audi cited speed-to-market, workforce, access to consumer markets and proximity to an established automotive supply chain in choosing the location. ³

Model range and timing: planned, not yet confirmed in detail

The plant is expected to assemble the Audi Q7, Q8 and Q9 SUVs, a US official told Reuters, as reported by both CNBC and Deutsche Welle. Audi's own announcement does not name specific models; it says the plant will build premium SUVs tailored to North American customers. Both framings should be treated as announced plans rather than confirmed production allocations. ⁴⁵¹

The timeline differs slightly between the primary sources. Audi says construction is scheduled to begin in 2027 with production planned for the early 2030s. Georgia's governor's office, in the same announcement, describes a phased schedule: grading beginning in 2027, construction on the facility from 2028, and full production expected in 2031 at an annual capacity of 200,000 units. The 2031 figure from the governor's office is an expectation, not a confirmed start date from Audi itself. ¹³

CNBC, citing the same US official, additionally reports that Audi plans to build 25,000 vehicles a year in neighbouring South Carolina, some of which would be exported, using the under-construction US$2 billion Scout Motors plant in Blythewood operated by Audi's parent Volkswagen Group. That arrangement is an official's account rather than a detailed Audi confirmation. ⁴

Why Georgia and why now: tariffs, sales and strategy

Audi presents the investment as a growth strategy: as the world's second-largest premium market, the US offers significant potential, and local production is described as a key element of a broader plan focused on customer needs, product portfolio and a more competitive business model. Audi says a stronger North American presence will help it build a more balanced global business and reduce exposure to trade and currency risks. ¹

The commercial context is sharper in independent reporting. CNBC notes that Audi imports all its US-market vehicles from Europe or Mexico, that the president's tariffs dealt Audi a €1.2 billion (US$1.4 billion) blow last year, and that Audi's US sales are down 16 per cent this year after two consecutive years of falling sales. CNBC attributes the trade-policy framing to the president's remarks; Audi's own release frames the move as strategy-driven, and the two accounts are not mutually exclusive but come from different sources. ⁴

CNBC's reporting also carries political context: the announcement came at a rally ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, with Georgia hosting competitive races, and critics cited by CNBC say tariffs have boosted vehicle prices and that trade uncertainty has delayed some automaker investments. Audi's management, in its release, also points to broader pressures: chairman of the supervisory board Manfred Döss said cost reductions, efficiency and technology alone would not secure Audi's future. ⁴¹

For German production, the outlook is less settled. CNBC notes Audi's Neckarsulm plant in southwest Germany is one of four German Volkswagen plants that could close after 2030, while Audi states that Germany and Europe will remain the industrial backbone of the company. No closure decision for Neckarsulm is confirmed in this corpus. ⁴¹

The site: a prepared megasite with logistics access

Georgia's governor's office describes the Middle Georgia Megasite in Peach County as a state-prepared site, purchased and improved ahead of an automotive prospect, with adjacent industrial utilities and completed due diligence reports enabling rapid construction. It was developed and marketed by the Development Authority of Peach County with the Mid-Georgia Gateway Joint Development Authority, spanning Peach, Houston and Macon-Bibb counties. ³

The site has rail access to the ports of Savannah and Brunswick in under five hours via Norfolk Southern Class I rail, is a 90-minute drive from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and has two regional airports within 25 minutes, according to the governor's office. Georgia Quick Start will work with Audi on customised training curricula and a designated training facility, partnering with campuses in the Technical College System of Georgia. ³

Audi's production and logistics board member Gerd Walker framed the greenfield nature as an advantage: a new plant built from the ground up allows highly efficient and flexible production processes, integration of advanced technologies and development of a strong local supplier network, with the stated ambition of setting a benchmark for premium manufacturing. Audi also notes the Middle Georgia Mega Site offers space and flexibility for possible future expansion. ¹

What is and is not established

What is announced: an intended US$4 billion investment, approximately 4,500 jobs, capacity of up to 200,000 vehicles a year, a construction start scheduled for 2027 and production planned for the early 2030s, with the Q7, Q8 and Q9 identified as expected models only via a US official speaking to Reuters. What is not established: detailed specifications of the North American-market SUVs, pricing, supplier contracts, or any confirmed production allocation beyond the reported expectation. ¹³⁴⁵

These plans apply to the US and North American markets. Nothing in the announcement establishes Australian production, Australian-built variants or any change to how Audi vehicles reach the Australian market; any Australian availability would require separate, evidence-based confirmation from Audi Australia. ¹³