Actually American-Made, Tesla Pauses Production, Crypto Goes to Congress

Automotive State of The Union

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Episode #1073: Six EVs crack the top 10 of Cars.com's American-Made Index, Tesla pauses Cybertruck and Model Y production, and the U.S. Senate gives crypto a win with new stablecoin regulations, clearing the path for mainstream adoption.

• Electric vehicles are leading the charge in U.S. manufacturing impact, as revealed by Cars.com’s 2025 American-Made Index. For the first time, EVs make up the majority of the top 10, signaling how deeply electrification is taking root on American soil—even as OEMs recalibrate their long-term EV strategies.
  • The top 10 Tesla Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X, Jeep Gladiator, Kia EV6, Honda Ridgeline, Honda Odyssey, Honda Passport, VW ID.4.
  • The index ranks vehicles based on five key factors: percentage of U.S. and Canadian parts, final assembly location, country of origin for engines and transmissions, and the size of the automaker’s U.S. manufacturing workforce
• Lead researcher Patrick Masterson said, “Buying American-made often means looking beyond traditional nameplates. You don’t always know what’s built in your backyard unless someone connects the dots.”

• Tesla is halting its Cybertruck and Model Y production lines at the Austin Gigafactory during the July 4 week, timing the pause with its much-anticipated robotaxi debut in the same city.
  • The one-week shutdown, starting June 30, will allow for line maintenance and voluntary worker training.
  • This marks at least the third production pause in a year for Austin, following previous stoppages in May and December.
  • Tesla says the pause will help ramp up output, though it hasn’t specified which lines will see gains.
  • In parallel, Tesla is preparing to launch its first robotaxi rides using Model Ys, with Elon Musk saying “We are being super paranoid about safety, so the [June 22 launch] date could shift,”
  • Musk added that by June 28, the vehicles would be capable of driving themselves from the factory directly to a customer's home.

• The U.S. Senate has approved a bill creating the first federal regulatory framework for stablecoins, cryptocurrencies designed to maintain a fixed value—typically 1:1 to the U.S. dollar. This marks a significant step forward for digital asset adoption and oversight.
  • The GENIUS Act passed with bipartisan support, 68–30, and now moves to the House for final approval before it can be signed into law.
  • The bill would require stablecoins to be fully backed by liquid assets like U.S. dollars and short-term Treasuries, with monthly public reserve disclosures.

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.
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