Tesla can claim to be the most American-made automaker, based on the annual US Made Index released by Cars.com on Wednesday. It is the only automaker that has 100% of its sales in the US coming from domestic production, and its four models occupy the top four spots as the most produced cars in the US.
Jenni Newman, Cars.com Editor-in-Chief, said: “Tesla launched on the index just three years ago, but with its headquarters and significant operations in the US, its rise has shuffled the deck of cards. , replacing many traditional domestic manufacturers”. .
Bestseller Tesla Model Y electric crossover leading the way, followed by the Model 3 compact sedan, Model X three-row SUV and Model S full-size sedan.
No vehicle produced by Detroit’s big three—GM, Ford, and Stellantis (formerly Fiat Chrysler Automobiles)—makes it into the top 15. Lincoln Corsair ranks 16th thanks in part to being built in Louisville, Kentucky. while the Chevrolet Corvette made in Bowling Green scored 19. The Dodge Durango is Stellantis’ highest-rated vehicle and is also manufactured in Detroit at number 21.
With the shift of production from Germany to Chattanooga, Tenn., the Volkswagen ID.4 took sixth place as the most produced vehicle in the US. The rest of the top 10 includes models from Honda and Acura.
Top 10 American-Made Index in 2023, according to Cars.com
Electric vehicles, including hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery-powered vehicles, make up 22% of vehicles performing the index. The index is limited to 100 vehicles out of 388 that can be considered.
With headquarters in California and factories in Fremont, Calif., and Austin, Texas, Tesla mostly meets the index’s five-point criteria.
The indexing method largely follows the American Automobile Labeling Act (AALA) for the sourcing of parts shown on the Monroney stickers of new passenger vehicles: country of origin of the new passenger vehicles. gear; the country of origin of the engine; the US manufacturing workforce; final assembly location; percentage of parts of the United States and Canada. The in-depth analysis was limited to 212,000 vehicles in the online car shopping site’s inventory, as well as from 437 in-person dealer inspections across the country.
Top 10 American-Made Index in 2023, according to Cars.com
For electric vehicles, the method is considered the final assembly of the battery packs, but not the origin of the cells.
Other parameters of the study are that the vehicle should not be too heavy, nor its sales should be too low. Newman would not disclose the extent of those thresholds.
Other U.S.-based and domestically produced electric car manufacturers do not qualify. The clean air unqualified due to low sales and two Rivian models ineligible due to their weight. Presumably, the AALA exclusion does not apply to passenger vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of more than 8,500 pounds. The Rivian pickup truck R1T And Rivian R1S three-row SUV has a GVWR of 8,532 pounds.
This method does not assess individual vehicle sales to achieve overall economic performance, rather it serves as a guide to consumers as to what their considered purchase might be. contribution to the domestic economy. In an additional survey of 1,013 market shoppers, 48% said they would be willing to pay more for a new car if it contributed or created more jobs in the United States.
Last updated in 2020, this method does not consider the new Inflation Reduction Act rules and incentives finalized earlier this year. The IRA encourages vehicle and battery pack assembly in North America, and has requirements for battery sourcing in order for vehicles eligible for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit to roll over. for shoppers. It triggered a wave of planned domestic production, most notably VW announcing plans to have 80% of the 25 electric cars Made in the US by 2030.
