Zac Quinn 
The Tesla Model Y has been labeled the most American-made car by Cars.com for the second year in a row. But that’s not all, as the electric car manufacturer took the first four spots on the 100-car list of vehicles with the most U.S. content, with the Model Y, Model 3, Model X, and Model S ranking No. 1 through 4, respectively. With this top-four Tesla lockout, we can’t help but wonder why Ford, Chevy, and Dodge aren’t in the top 4 rankings; they originated here in the U.S.A, just like Tesla.
“Most American Car” Ranking: Details
According to Detroit News, a car qualifies for the American-Made Index based on the percentage of U.S. and Canadian parts using the American Automotive Labeling Act, the country of origin for available engines, the country of origin for available transmissions, and U.S. manufacturing employees relative to the automaker’s footprint. Out of 388 cars, with 100 making the cut for the annual index, including models from 11 automakers and 23 brands, the big three didn’t even rank in the top 10, which includes:
- Tesla Model Y
- Tesla Model 3
- Tesla Model X
- Tesla Model S
- Honda Passport
- Volkswagen ID.4
- Honda Odyssey
- Acura MDX
- Honda Ridgeline
- Acura RDX
While Tesla certainly had considerable success by keeping production regional, General Motors and Ford Motor Company didn’t make the cut, despite having the largest share of models on the list. GM accounted for 18% and Ford 17%, the latter up five percentage points from last year. Meanwhile, Stellantis NV held 9% of the list, dominated by models from its Jeep brand.
Where did these vehicles rank? The Chevrolet Corvette took the No. 19 spot, the F-150 Lightning ranked at No. 38, while the Dodge Durango ranked at No. 21. What’s more? The GMC Canyon fell to No. 33 from No. 12 on the 2022 AMI. Meanwhile, Michigan was ranked as the state with the most production, with 16% of vehicles on the index assembled in the state. Alabama and Tennessee followed behind. Americans are willing to pay more for cars made in the U.S., which helps highlight the importance of this list. Hopefully, some of our favorite Ford, GM, and Stellantis vehicles will move up the roster next year.
How American Made Is Tesla?
While the Cars.com American Made Index is a rigorous and complex study, its reasoning for a Tesla sweep feels puzzling. Primarily on the basis of the batteries for the quartet of electric vehicles. Tesla currently sources its lithium for its batteries primarily from Australia and Chile, while China handles the refining. The majority of its nickel comes from the South Pacific via a Brazilian mining company. Laundering all of this is the fact that Panasonic, Tesla’s battery supplier, does indeed assemble battery packs in United States facilities. But considering how much of an electric car is the battery by both size and weight, it makes us wonder how truly “American made” a Tesla is.
