American-Made Cars: EVs Lead the Way

Tesla Dominates 2025 American-Made Index

Tesla vehicles secured the top four positions in the 2025 American-Made Index (AMI). This annual ranking, compiled by Cars.com, evaluates vehicles based on their U.S. build and purchase criteria.

Tesla's Consistent Performance

Tesla’s leading presence in the AMI is not a recent development. The American automaker, manufacturing its four passenger vehicles in Texas and California, has consistently ranked within the top 10 for the past five years. This year, the Model 3 achieved the highest ranking as the most “American-made” vehicle available in the U.S.

Rise of Electric Vehicles

Notably, electric vehicles (EVs) claimed six of the top ten spots on the American-Made Index. Beyond Tesla, the Kia EV6 and the Volkswagen ID.4 were ranked 6th and 10th, respectively.

Index Methodology

The annual index assesses vehicles based on five key factors. These include the location of final assembly, the percentage of U.S. and Canadian parts utilized, and the origin countries of engines and transmissions.

Cars.com analyzed approximately 400 vehicles from the 2025 model year to determine the 99 vehicles featured on the 2025 American-Made Index. Heavy-duty trucks, such as the Tesla Cybertruck and Rivian R1S, which are both U.S.-made, were excluded from consideration.

Kia EV6 Leads in Parts Content

The Kia EV6, assembled at the automaker’s facility in West Point, Georgia, also received significant recognition. It boasts an impressive 80% U.S. and Canadian parts content, the highest proportion of any vehicle currently sold in the American market.

Growing EV Representation

Only eight EVs qualified for the 2024 index. However, this year saw an increase, with 11 battery-electric vehicles making the list. These include the Ford F-150 Lightning, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, and the Kia EV9 SUV.

Furthermore, 19 additional vehicles are either hybrids or plug-in hybrids. Cars.com suggests these statistics demonstrate a genuine commitment to electrification within the automotive industry.

Future Considerations

The potential impact of tariffs, rising vehicle costs, and the possible discontinuation of federal EV tax credits – as proposed by the Senate – remains a key question. It is uncertain whether these factors will impede the current trend towards electric vehicle adoption.