Tesla‘s status as one of the top U.S. car manufacturers received a boost on June 21, when its entire electric vehicle lineup dominated the four top spots in Cars.com’s 2023 American-Made Index, a study examining trends in domestic vehicle production and sales.
Using component-sourcing, employment, and manufacturing-location data, the study selected 100 gas-powered, hybrid, and electric vehicles out of 388 entries to feature in its rankings. Tesla entries dominated the top four spots, with the Model Y earning first, the Model 3 earning second, the Model X third and the Model S fourth. This is the second consecutive year the Model Y has placed first on Cars.com’s list. The vehicle also has the distinction of being the world’s best-selling car in Q1, according to global sales estimates. Honda’s Passport SUV finished close behind in fifth place, followed by the Volkswagen ID.4 in sixth.
Cars.com attributed the success of Tesla to its expanded workforce following an increase in hiring at the company’s Gigafactory location in Texas. Honda has made frequent chart-topping appearances in prior-year indexes, thanks to its SUV, minivan, and pickup factories throughout the U.S. Domestic production of the VW ID.4 began last July at the car manufacturer’s Tennessee plant, making 2023 its first qualifying year.
The list’s uneven distribution of all-electric entries underscores Tesla’s home-field advantage in the EV segment. Out of the top ten spots, the only non-Tesla entry is the VW ID.4. Other contenders, such as the Ford F-150 Lightning and Nissan Leaf, ranked far below (38th and 93rd, respectively). Altogether, EVs accounted for a mere 8% of the total 100 gas, hybrid, and electric vehicles examined by Cars.Com. However, Jeniffer Newman, the website’s editor-in-chief, noted that earning a place on the index was still an impressive achievement, regardless of rank. “Whether you are number one or number 100, being on this list is significant because those vehicles are absolutely having a positive impact on the U.S. economy.”
