Years ago, Chevy had its “Heartbeat of America” ad campaign, which highlighted the brand’s impact on the country and its workers. Now, however, General Motors isn’t even in the top ten of the most American-made brands, as the list has been taken over by Tesla and Japanese automakers with domestic production lines.
Cars.com’s recent American-Made Index placed the Tesla Model Y as the most American vehicle on sale today. The remaining top ten most American-made vehicles include:
· Tesla Model Y
· Honda Passport
· Volkswagen ID.4
· Tesla Model S
· Honda Odyssey
· Honda Ridgeline
· Toyota Camry
· Jeep Gladiator
· Tesla Model X
· Lexus TX
Most of those vehicles are produced in the American South, where several automakers operate major production facilities. Tesla lost its hold on the top four spots on the list, ceding ground to Honda and Volkswagen, which have both invested heavily in American factories and workers.
Though Tesla is the only automaker on the list with electric vehicles, Cars.com pointed out that EVs have grown on the American-made index. Car companies have looked to localize production to take advantage of the U.S. federal government’s EV tax credits, half of which depend on the final build location.
All of this serves to illustrate the highly global nature of the car industry. While profits from brands like Toyota and Honda might ultimately flow back to another country, their economic impact is felt locally and is a significant benefit to the people who work at one of the automakers’ factories.
Note that “all-American” vehicles like full-size trucks and SUVs haven’t made the list. That’s due to an increasing dependence on foreign suppliers and manufacturers, and it illustrates the difficulty in looking to brands for their support of the American economy.
[Images: Tesla, Honda, VW]
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