PEACH COUNTY, GA. — Audi AG has selected the Middle Georgia Megasite near Macon for a $4 billion advanced manufacturing facility, which will be the German automotive giant’s first plant in Georgia. The company’s new factory in Peach County will bring approximately 4,500 new jobs to central Georgia and create an expected annual capacity of 200,000 vehicles, with a focus on Audi’s luxury SUVs.
Audi expects to begin grading the site in 2027 and break ground on the new plant in 2028. The factory is expected to begin operating at full capacity in 2031. The size of the new factory was not disclosed, but Audi says it will be “among the brand’s largest production footprints globally.”
“The United States is one of the world’s most important premium markets, and we have not yet realized our full potential,” says Gernot Döllner, chairman of the board of management at Audi AG. “We are determined to change that — with premium products, a stronger brand and a competitive local production base. This is about building a stronger Audi business in America — not simply about building a factory.”
“We are proud to welcome one of the world’s most iconic automotive brands to Georgia,” says Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. “Together, we have an opportunity to create lasting economic prosperity, open new doors for our communities and help shape the next generation of American automotive manufacturing.”
Civic partners for Audi’s site selection process included the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the Development Authority of Peach County and the Mid-Georgia Gateway Joint Development Authority, which was formed earlier this year by Houston, Macon-Bibb and Peach Counties.
Georgia Quick Start will work with Audi to develop a custom instructional program and training facility that will be utilized by schools within the Technical College System of Georgia. Other involved entities in Audi’s new factory include the Georgia Department of Transportation, Georgia Ports Authority, Georgia Environmental Protection Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Norfolk Southern, Georgia’s Germany-based Europe Office and Georgia Power.
The Middle Georgia Megasite was established in 2022 by the State of Georgia and the Development Authority of Peach County. The 1,500-acre campus sits roughly 100 miles south of Atlanta via I-75 and 170 miles from Savannah via I-16. A rail delivery from the Audi plant will be able to reach both the Port of Brunswick and the Port of Savannah in less than five hours. Additionally, the site is within 90 miles of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and 25 miles of two regional airports.
Audi AG joins Hyundai and Rivian on the list of auto manufacturers that are building multibillion-dollar plants in Georgia. The company operates in more than 110 markets, manufactures Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini and Ducati vehicles at 21 production sites in 12 countries and employs more than 88,000 people worldwide. The company’s American subsidiary, Audi of America, is headquartered in Reston, Va.
— John Nelson