Automotive Fleet
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

BMW, VW Consider Increasing U.S. Production After White House Meeting

BMW and Volkswagen are considering plans to expand U.S. production following a Dec. 4 meeting with President Trump at the White House.

December 4, 2018
BMW, VW Consider Increasing U.S. Production After White House Meeting

BMW and Volkswagen said they are considering expanding U.S. production after a Dec. 4 meeting with President Trump.

Photo via Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia. Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)

2 min to read


BMW and Volkswagen are considering plans to expand U.S. production following a Dec. 4 meeting with President Trump at the White House.

Ad Loading...

Volkswagen Group's CEO Herbert Diess told reporters the company is now in talks with Ford Motor Co. to build its cars at Ford's U.S. assembly plants. VW and Ford have been in discussions since signing a memorandum of understanding on June 19 about how they could collaborate. They have suggested they could jointly develop a line of commercial vehicles, possibly a cargo van.

Ad Loading...

"The president has a point in trying to convince us to invest more into America, and we are prepared to invest more," Diess told USA Today following the meeting with Trump.

Volkswagen is also considering building a second U.S. assembly plant in addition to its existing plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

BMW also announced it will expand its manufacturing footprint at its assembly plant in Spartanburg, S.C., where it builds its X-line of utility vehicles. From 2018 to 2021, BMW will invest $600 million in plant infrastructure for future generations of its expanding line of SUVs. BMW will offer the 2019 X7 as its first three-row SUV.

The plant improvements will include 1,000 additional jobs, which will bring the total at the plant to 11,000.

BMW hasn't committed to building a second U.S. plant to build its engines, despite Trump's Nov. 29 tweet announcing "a major new plant" from the automaker. A new plant will open in Mexico during the summer of 2019.

Ad Loading...

"With our plant in Spartanburg and the new plant in Mexico coming on stream in summer 2019, we will increase our production in North America," according to a company statement. "We will therefore in future have the scale where a step like this may make business sense. As of today, no decision has been taken on this topic."

More Vehicle Research

An AF news recap
Vehicle Research•by Faith Howell•October 30, 2026

Crash Tests, Catalytic Converter Theft & Fleet Safety | AF News Recap

A stolen catalytic converter can cost a fleet far more than the replacement part. This week, we're exploring how to reduce theft-related risk, what fleet managers learned from live IIHS crash testing, the 2027 Jeep Compass's new safety features, and why supporting original industry reporting matters.

Read More →
A red 2027 jeep compass drives on the road surrounded by foliage
Vehicle Research•by News/Media Release•October 29, 2026

2027 Jeep Compass Adds Standard Driver-Assistance Features, Starts at $31,985

The 2027 Jeep Compass adds standard adaptive cruise control across the lineup, along with additional technology and equipment options on select trims.

Read More →
A green 2027 subaru outback drives in the mountains
Vehicle Research•by News/Media Release•October 28, 2026

2027 Subaru Outback Adds Base Trim, Lowers Pricing Across Lineup

The 2027 Outback starts at $32,995, with price reductions on several trims and expanded availability of hands-free driver-assistance technology.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A blue Toyota Camry drives on a road
Vehicle Research•by News/Media Release•October 16, 2026

2027 Toyota Camry Offers Hybrid Powertrain Across Five Grades

The 2027 Toyota Camry is a carryover with new pricing.

Read More →
new Chevy Trax and Trailblazer
Vehicle Research•by News/Media Release•October 16, 2026

Chevrolet Updates 2027 Trax and Trailblazer with More Standard Safety Features

Chevrolet is updating two of its smallest SUVs with added driver-assistance technology, redesigned interiors, and revised trim options. The changes could add more safety equipment as standard for commercial fleets, while a new Trailblazer configuration adds another all-wheel-drive option.

Read More →
commercial fleet sales jan thru sept year over year
Vehicle Research•by Chris Brown•October 7, 2026

Commercial Fleet Sales Rise 5.8% Through September 2026

September commercial fleet sales were essentially unchanged from a year earlier, slowing year-to-date growth while keeping volume ahead of 2025.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Automotive Fleet Hall of Fame graphic honoring John Dmochowsky, retired senior global fleet manager for Mondelēz International.
Vehicle Research•by Faith Howell•October 2, 2026

Hall of Fame Inductee: John Dmochowsky

The longtime Mondelēz International fleet executive joins the Automotive Fleet Hall of Fame.

Read More →
Automotive Fleet Hall of Fame graphic honoring Lee Miller, retired director of fleet services for Boehringer Ingelheim.
Vehicle Research•by Faith Howell•October 2, 2026

Hall of Fame Inductee: Lee Miller

After more than four decades at Boehringer Ingelheim, Lee Miller leaves a legacy built on fleet expertise.

Read More →
Automotive Fleet Hall of Fame graphic honoring Mark F. Petersen, whose four-decade fleet career spanned corporate and supplier leadership roles.
Vehicle Research•by Faith Howell•October 1, 2026

Hall of Fame Inductee: Mark F. Petersen

From managing fleets of thousands of vehicles to advancing safety and mentoring fellow professionals, Mark F. Petersen made his mark across both the corporate and supplier sides of fleet.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A ChargerHelp thumbnail representing the 2026 reliability report with a dark blue background.
Vehicle Research•by News/Media Release•September 24, 2026

When Charger Downtime Becomes a Fleet Availability Problem

As EV deployments move beyond pilot programs, charger reliability can directly affect vehicle readiness, driver productivity and route scheduling.

Read More →