Audi Weighs $3 Billion U.S. Plant Expansion That Could Add 3,000 Jobs

Audi is considering a second phase of its planned Georgia assembly plant, involving an additional $3 billion investment and 3,000 more jobs by 2033. According to Sina Finance, documents disclosed Thursday say the Volkswagen Group luxury brand would receive hundreds of millions of dollars in state tax incentives and grants for a $4 billion assembly plant in Georgia. Audi announced its plan on October 25 to build its first U.S. assembly plant near Macon, Georgia. The factory is expected to begin operating in the early 2030s, produce 200,000 SUVs annually, and create 4,500 jobs. Documents from the Mid-Georgia Gateway Development Authority say Audi is considering the project’s second phase. Georgia will provide Audi with a 1,500-acre site, $458 million in tax incentives, and more than $120 million in grants for infrastructure, rail upgrades, environmental remediation, and construction. The state will also provide $430 million for water facilities, road improvements, utilities, employee training, and recruitment. Earlier reports said the Trump administration had promised Audi tariff relief to support the plant’s future. U.S. officials told Audi executives that the administration planned to offer broad tariff relief to automakers making major investments in U.S. production. Two people familiar with the matter said Audi had urged the U.S. to cut the 15% tariff on its imports from the European Union to 7.5%, but the U.S. Commerce Department was expected to agree to a reduction to around 10%. The sources added that the tariff relief plan aims to encourage automakers to expand U.S. capacity or make other investments.