Audi plans first US factory with investment of around US$4 billion
The Georgia project envisages around 4,500 jobs and capacity for up to 200,000 vehicles a year, though IG Metall says Volkswagen approvals are still required.
Audi plans to spend around US$4 billion on its first US car factory, choosing Georgia for a site focused on large premium SUVs. The investment was announced on 24 October 2026 at a campaign rally in Perry, where chief executive Gernot Döllner appeared with US President Donald Trump.
The proposed factory at the Middle Georgia Megasite in Peach County, near Macon, would employ around 4,500 people and could make up to 200,000 vehicles annually. Audi says preparations are due to start in 2027, followed by series production in the early 2030s. Georgia’s government has set 2031 as its target for full-scale output.
Döllner linked the investment to Audi’s ambitions to expand in the US premium car market. The company currently supplies American customers with vehicles imported from Europe or Mexico and says the new operation would complement its industrial base in Germany and Europe.
Georgia authorities cited suppliers, transport connections, skilled labour and room for future expansion as factors behind the location choice. Trump presented the announcement as evidence that his trade policies were encouraging manufacturers to shift production to the US.
The IG Metall union broadly supports Audi’s US expansion but wants firm commitments on the long-term future of employees at German sites. It says the final decision still requires approval from the relevant Volkswagen bodies.
