🇺🇸BUILT, NOT BOLTED: WHY TESLA IS TRULY AMERICAN-MADE
Tesla vehicles are proudly made in America, with a manufacturing process that emphasizes domestic production from the ground up.
Unlike some automakers that assemble vehicles in the U.S using a significant portion of parts sourced globally, Tesla has built a vertically integrated system where the majority of its vehicles’ components are designed, engineered, and produced in the United States.
Tesla’s approach starts with its commitment to controlling the supply chain.
At the Fremont Factory, which has been the heart of Tesla’s production since 2010, the company doesn’t just assemble cars - it manufactures critical components in-house.
The process begins with raw materials like aluminum and steel, much of which is sourced from American suppliers.
Tesla’s massive casting machines, including the Giga Press, transform these materials into large, single-piece structural components like the underbody of the Tesla Model Y.
This die-casting process, pioneered by Tesla, reduces the need for hundreds of smaller parts that might otherwise be imported, ensuring that the vehicle’s foundation is made in America.
Battery production, the soul of any electric vehicle, is another area where Tesla stands out.
While some automakers rely on battery cells shipped from Asia or Europe, Tesla produces its own at Gigafactory Nevada, in partnership with Panasonic.
The facility churns out 2170 and 4680 battery cells - designed by Tesla engineers in California - using a mix of domestically sourced and processed materials like lithium, nickel, and cobalt.
These batteries are then shipped to Fremont or Texas, keeping the supply chain largely within U.S borders.
Gigafactory Texas takes this further by integrating battery production on-site, directly feeding cells into vehicle assembly.
The electric motors, power electronics, and software that define Tesla’s performance are also American-made.
Tesla designs and builds its motors at Fremont and Texas, using advanced manufacturing techniques like hairpin winding for efficiency.
The accompanying inverters and control systems are produced in-house, with printed circuit boards and semiconductors assembled in the U.S, often leveraging chips from American firms like NVIDIA or Tesla’s own custom silicon.
The software, from Autopilot to the user interface, is coded by Tesla’s teams in California and flashed onto vehicles during production.
Body and interior components further showcase Tesla’s domestic focus.
The Fremont and Texas plants stamp, weld, and paint vehicle bodies using American steel and aluminum.
Seats, glass (like the massive Model Y roof panels), and even smaller parts like wiring harnesses are increasingly produced in-house or by U.S-based suppliers, reducing reliance on foreign parts.
Tesla’s paint shops, among the most advanced in the industry, apply uniquely American finishes - like the “Giga Texas Red” rumored for future models.
Assembly ties it all together on American soil.
At Fremont, robots and human workers collaborate on a highly automated line, attaching batteries, motors, and interiors to freshly cast frames.
Gigafactory Texas, with its sprawling 10-million-square-foot footprint, replicates and scales this process, producing the Model Y and Cybertruck.
Every vehicle rolling off these lines is a testament to American engineering and labor - not a kit of foreign parts snapped together.
That’s not to say Tesla uses zero imported components.
Some specialized electronics or rare materials still come from abroad due to global supply realities.
However, the U.S International Trade Commission and automotive industry standards classify Tesla vehicles as overwhelmingly domestic, with North American content often exceeding 75% - well above the threshold for “Made in America” bragging rights.
Tesla’s investment in U.S. factories - over $17 billion across Fremont, Nevada, and Texas - underscores its commitment.
In short, Tesla vehicles aren’t just assembled in America; they’re born there.
From molten metal to finished Cybertrucks, the process is a showcase of U.S innovation, manufacturing muscle, and a vision to keep production close to home.