VW’s 5-Year U.S. Spend Up

As countries negotiate trade deals with the Trump administration, Volkswagen’s American arm says it’s substantially increased investment in the U.S. in the past five years.

Citing a Deloitte study it commissioned, Volkswagen Group of America says it’s boosted its U.S.-based manufacturing jobs by 30% during the period ended last year, and research-and-development jobs by 16%.

Between corporate VW and its U.S. dealerships, the German automaker says it directly and indirectly supports nearly 164,500 jobs, including 48,000 direct jobs, and about $44 billion in goods and services.          

“This study underscores our deep investment and long-term commitment in the American market,” said group President and CEO Kjell Gruner in a press release. “In the past five years, we’ve grown our manufacturing footprint and advanced our R&D capabilities to drive meaningful economic impact in the communities where our valued team members live and work.”

VW and the other two big German automakers, BMW and Mercedes, together made 7% of their 2024 sales in the U.S. The European Union as a whole, though, is the biggest importer of U.S. goods in general.

In the past five years, VW says it boosted investment here by over 30,000 direct and indirect jobs and more than $10 billion in economic impact. That includes a more than 30% increase in U.S. manufacturing jobs to nearly 4,000, the boost concentrated at its Chattanooga, Tenn. plant, where it makes the ID.4, Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport.

In addition to profit-focused spending, VW says it donated more than $7.5 million during the period to U.S. nonprofit groups, particularly in education, youth development and environmental causes.

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