Automotive

Contact us or submit an RFP

Our Expertise

Driving transformation through automotive and mobility strategy consulting

The automotive and mobility industry are transforming with remarkable speed: Electrification. Automation. Artificial intelligence. Connectivity. Shared mobility. Innovation has revolutionized the automotive industry and brings opportunity for those who find creative ways to restructure their businesses, reshape their products, reimagine their services, and refine their operations. Our advisors deliver leading-edge insight and pragmatic automotive consulting solutions to help you succeed in the new world of future mobility. 

Our automotive practice serves clients across the global value chain, including OEMs, suppliers, technology companies, investors, and dealerships. As leaders in accounting, tax, and automotive consulting services, we bring decades of industry experience backed up by proprietary market forecasts and benchmarking data. Our automotive industry consultants deliver leading-edge market, financial, operational, and strategic intelligence you won’t find anywhere else. We’re also highly regarded as thought leaders within the industry, with our experts regularly featured at key automotive conferences and quoted in industry media.

Navigate automotive industry transformation with confidence

Manufacturing leaders rely on our automotive consulting solutions backed by an integrated team of accounting, assurance, tax, consulting, and wealth management experts to achieve their goals in a dynamic industry. Here’s how we can help you navigate today’s top challenges.
Advance your electrification strategy

No matter what stage your company is in the electric vehicle transition, our mobility experts can help you chart your unique course. We can help assess your current product portfolio, identify strategies to scale — from M&A to adopting new technologies — optimize your automotive supply chain, leverage IT and analytics for business growth, and identify EV financing opportunities.

Leverage technology to embrace transformation
Our technology strategists will help you leverage technology, automation, and AI on the plant floor to achieve greater operational efficiency and open doors to new and incremental revenue. From assessing where you stand to creating your best course of action, we’ll help you level up.
Maximize return on investments with adaptive costing
Do you have transparent insights into key cost drivers across the automotive value chain and how they impact your margins? From product proliferation, process complexity, and automation to volume variability and varying logistics requirements, we’ll develop a tailored, practical cost and margin model to help you drive profitable decisions. 
Offset ICE-to-EV transition costs with financing opportunities
Is your organization taking advantage of key capital financing opportunities to support the ICE-to-EV transition? Our automotive manufacturing consultants offer strategic guidance into federal tax credits, loans, grants, automotive M&A deals, in addition to traditional funding mechanisms to offset investment costs.
Optimize supply chain & operations
Automotive supply chain challenges are bound to arise in a dynamic industry, and you need to be prepared to guard yourself against potential exposures. We’ll help your organization navigate evolving trade and tariff policy, mitigate risk, and build a flexible and responsive supply chain tailored to the distinct needs of your business.
Strengthen supplier-customer relationships
As supply chains complexify and face disruption, partnerships with strong end-to-end communication allow customers and suppliers to better navigate market turbulence. We can help you identify your stakeholders’ needs and how to drive long-lasting mutual benefits through strong commercial relationships. 

Our Offerings

The speed of transformation has made it critical to partner with expert automotive consultants and advisors to help you navigate change. Let us help you with:

Tax planning and consulting

Optimize your tax position with dedicated tax specialists focused solely on auto clients.
Learn more

Tax credits and incentives

Reduce your tax liability with manufacturing tax credits under the IRA and Infrastructure Act.
Learn more

Audit and assurance

Keep track of accounting standards and receive year-round compliance guidance for manufacturers. 
Learn more

Mobility strategy consulting

Refine your business model to capitalize on the EV transition with a tactical mobility strategy.
Learn More

Supply chain optimization

Enhance supply chain forecasting, sourcing and supplier management, and distribution logistics.
Learn More

Operations improvement

Improve operational efficiency through manufacturing process and plant floor optimizations.
Learn more

Technology consulting

Effectively integrate your systems and leverage data analytics to sharpen value chain visibility.
Learn More

Smart manufacturing and industry 4.0

Leverage data-driven technology and automation to drive greater efficiency and optimize profits.
Learn More

ERP consulting

Receive custom ERP solutions and expert guidance on the PLEX Smart Manufacturing Platform.
Learn More

Data analytics

Optimize operations and decisions with strategic data analytics for the automotive industry.
Learn More

Cost and margin intelligence

Define cost drivers across your automotive supply chain to drive more profitable decisions.
Learn More

Cybersecurity consulting

Arm your organization against costly cybersecurity threats facing the automotive industry.
Learn More

M&A and transaction advisory

Get guidance into the automotive M&A deal market and identify a deal strategy for your goals.
Learn More

Environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG)

Develop and execute an ESG strategy to meet your sustainable supply chain and business goals.
Learn More

Risk management

De-risk your supply chain with secure data, compliance review, and strong internal controls.
Learn More

Real estate advisors

Get sound business advice from our real estate advisors and construction experts.
Learn More

Upcoming Events & Webinars

SEE ALL
Aerial view of Washington D.C. at night.
Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025

2025 tax legislation: What to expect from the Trump administration

2025 is pivotal for federal tax rules as the TCJA is set to sunset, with new legislation anticipated from the incoming Trump administration and Republican majorities in Congress. Our tax specialists will provide key tax-planning opportunities.
Webinar / 1 hour watch
Discover how evolving tariffs and trade policies impact U.S. industrial strategy. Learn to build resilience and seize opportunities.
Read More

Topics

Close-up photo of an electric charging station for automobile vehicles.

Future mobility: Navigating the EV value chain

Learn more
Two warehouse workers in yellow vests.

Forging closer supplier-customer relationships

Learn more
Empowering the EV future: Financing strategies for auto suppliers. Join us to explore the diverse funding opportunities available to advance your transition toward sustainability. 
View On-Demand

Insights

More Insights
Close up photo of an EV car charging station and a green SUV car

Financing EV capital projects: Inflation Reduction Act tax credits, grants, & loans

Article / 10 min read
Car salesman talking to a couple at a car dealership.

Cybersecurity for auto dealers: Beware third-party risk

Article / 4 min read
Automotive factory worker assembling an electrical vehicle.

Automotive supplier relations: A critical component of the EV transition

Article / 5 min read
Business professional learning about ESG.

Auto suppliers: Are you prioritizing ESG? Here’s why you should — and 5 steps to start

Article / 6 min read
Business professionals holding documents and discussing with one another while sitting down

Untangling tariff impact: Actions to navigate evolving U.S. tariff and trade policies

Article / 4 min read
Two business professionals holding a notepad and discussing with one another

Value creation: The upside of extended holding periods

Article / 5 min read
Return to top of section

Case Studies

SEE ALL CASE STUDIES
Image of two people meeting
October 15, 2021

Operations assessment for targeted growth

Manufacturer improves efficiencies by more than 10 percent of operating cost and sees increased production capacity.
Case Study / 1 min read
North American Lighting discussed at meeting
October 01, 2018

North American Lighting replaces multiple ERP systems with Plex Manufacturing Cloud

North American Lighting (NAL), the largest independently owned Tier 1 automotive lighting supplier, replaces multiple legacy, on-premise ERP systems and achieves seamless integration across advanced manufacturing systems and facilities with the Plex Smart Manufacturing platform.
Case Study / 2 min read
Image of two people shaking hands
March 26, 2024

Cost and margin intelligence solutions for automotive supplier

Automotive supplier improves costing information leading to confidence in product decisions and reduced lead time.
Case Study / 1 min read

Client Experience

An experienced automotive advisor at your side

Headquartered in the Motor City with nearly 100 years of experience, our experts know what drives success in the automotive industry. In this era of radical change, our broad range of customized services will meet you wherever you are in your transformation journey and wherever you operate around the globe.

Our clients say we’re knowledgeable, attentive, and more flexible than other automotive consulting firms. They know we’ll work shoulder-to-shoulder with them as a member of the team and be equally invested in their success. In the words of our automotive consulting practice leader Mark Barrott, “Our clients appreciate the depth of our industry experience, our understanding of what’s most important to transform and succeed, and our ability to help build out a pragmatic plan with realistic, implementable, strategies.”

Our clients say

Over the past decade, Plante Moran has distinguished itself from other firms by consistently surpassing expectations. They are more than just a service provider; they are co-creation partners. Plante Moran goes beyond offering standard solutions and instead crafts customized solutions specifically designed for each company. They do this by providing valuable intelligence, guidance, market research, and always keeping the voice of the customer in mind, even when working under tight deadlines.

Ashish Sadhu
Former Vice President, Marelli
Headshot of Mark Barrott Mark  Barrott

Partner

+1-248-223-3272

Headshot of Dave Pesci. David Pesci

Partner

+1-810-766-6075

MEET OUR TEAM