While electric vehicles grab the headlines, the sheer scale of America's automotive comeback in 2022—with a staggering 10.06 million vehicles rolling off assembly lines and a massive $248 billion in parts output—proves the heart of the industry is still pumping billions into the economy and employing millions nationwide.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, US light vehicle production reached 10.06 million units, a 6.5% increase from 2021.
- Ford Motor Company produced 1.87 million vehicles in the US in 2022 across its assembly plants.
- General Motors assembled 2.21 million vehicles in North America in 2022, with 80% in the US.
- US new car sales reached 13.8 million units in 2022.
- Ford F-Series sold 650,612 units in 2022, topping US sales charts.
- Tesla Model Y was the best-selling EV with 231,400 units in 2022.
- The US auto industry employed 923,000 people directly in 2022.
- Average hourly wage in US motor vehicle manufacturing was $32.45 in 2022.
- UAW represented 432,000 auto workers across Detroit Three in 2022.
- Auto manufacturing contributed $250 billion to US GDP in 2022.
- US vehicle exports reached $60 billion in 2022.
- Auto sector taxes paid $45 billion federally in 2022.
- US auto R&D spend grew 5% to $37 billion in 2022.
- Tesla filed 1,200 patents for battery tech in 2022.
- GM invested $35 billion in EVs by 2025, $7B in 2022.
The US auto industry showed strong production growth and robust economic impact in 2022.
Economic Impact
- Auto manufacturing contributed $250 billion to US GDP in 2022.
- US vehicle exports reached $60 billion in 2022.
- Auto sector taxes paid $45 billion federally in 2022.
- Supplier purchases by OEMs totaled $400 billion in 2022.
- Retail auto sales generated $1.1 trillion in 2022.
- Multiplier effect: $1 auto spending creates $3.65 economic activity.
- US auto trade deficit was $240 billion in 2022.
- Aftermarket parts market valued at $400 billion in 2022.
- Financing and insurance for autos: $150 billion revenue 2022.
- Fuel economy improvements saved consumers $20 billion in 2022.
- EV incentives boosted GDP by $5 billion in 2022.
- State/local taxes from auto industry: $100 billion in 2022.
- Capital investment in US auto plants: $50 billion in 2022.
- Used car market turnover $700 billion in 2022.
- Advertising spend by auto makers: $8 billion in 2022.
- R&D expenditure by US auto firms: $35 billion in 2022.
- Freight transport for auto parts: $100 billion cost in 2022.
- Dealer profits reached $150 billion in 2022.
- Chip shortage cost industry $210 billion in lost sales 2022.
- Auto recycling industry generated $40 billion in 2022.
- Tourism from auto events: $10 billion economic boost 2022.
- US auto patents filed: 15,000 in 2022.
- Carbon pricing avoided costs: $15 billion for industry 2022.
- Investment in battery plants: $20 billion announced 2022.
- US auto industry supported 10.7 million jobs total in 2022.
- Personal income from auto sector: $600 billion in 2022.
Economic Impact Interpretation
While the industry's mighty $1.1 trillion sales engine and $250 billion GDP piston drive the economy forward, its $240 billion trade deficit oil leak reminds us that even a powerhouse must occasionally check under the hood.
Employment and Labor
- The US auto industry employed 923,000 people directly in 2022.
- Average hourly wage in US motor vehicle manufacturing was $32.45 in 2022.
- UAW represented 432,000 auto workers across Detroit Three in 2022.
- Auto parts sector employed 570,000 workers in 2022.
- Supplier jobs totaled 4.8 million supporting US auto industry in 2022.
- GM employed 163,000 in US operations in 2022.
- Ford had 57,000 US manufacturing employees in 2022.
- Tesla workforce reached 127,000 globally but 70,000 in US in 2022.
- Labor productivity in auto manufacturing rose 2.1% in 2022.
- Women comprised 25% of US auto assembly workforce in 2022.
- Stellantis US employment was 90,000 in 2022.
- Temporary agency workers in auto plants averaged 10% of workforce in 2022.
- Union membership rate in auto industry was 56% in 2022.
- Average auto worker tenure was 8.5 years in 2022.
- Toyota US plants employed 37,000 directly in 2022.
- Honda US manufacturing jobs totaled 26,000 in 2022.
- Job openings in auto sector averaged 150,000 in 2022.
- Skilled trades shortage affected 40% of US auto plants in 2022.
- Entry-level auto assembly wages started at $20/hour in 2022.
- Turnover rate in auto manufacturing was 28% in 2022.
- Foreign-owned plants employed 300,000 US workers in 2022.
- Apprenticeships in auto industry trained 15,000 workers in 2022.
- Diversity: Black workers 15% of auto workforce in 2022.
- Overtime hours averaged 5 per week in US auto plants 2022.
- R&D staff in US auto firms totaled 120,000 in 2022.
- Logistics and warehousing jobs for auto: 250,000 in 2022.
- Dealers employed 1.1 million in sales/service in 2022.
- US auto industry added 50,000 EV-related jobs in 2022.
Employment and Labor Interpretation
While it boasts over a million direct jobs paying solid wages, the US auto industry remains a complex ecosystem grappling with stubborn turnover, a skilled trades drought, and a slow but steady charge into an electric future, revealing a sector in the throes of a wrenching but determined evolution.
Innovation and Technology
- US auto R&D spend grew 5% to $37 billion in 2022.
- Tesla filed 1,200 patents for battery tech in 2022.
- GM invested $35 billion in EVs by 2025, $7B in 2022.
- Autonomous vehicle testing miles: 50 million in US 2022.
- Ford's BlueCruise hands-free miles: 1 billion by 2022.
- US EV charging stations reached 168,000 in 2022.
- Average fuel economy: 28.4 mpg for new cars in 2022.
- Software-defined vehicles: 30% of new models in 2022.
- Waymo autonomous rides: 20 million in 2022.
- Battery density improved 8% to 300 Wh/kg in 2022 US tech.
- Cruise robotaxi fleet tested 500,000 miles in 2022.
- Hydrogen fuel cell patents: 500 filed by US firms 2022.
- ADAS adoption: 85% of new vehicles in 2022.
- Over-the-air updates delivered to 10 million US vehicles 2022.
- Solid-state battery prototypes: 5 major US tests in 2022.
- V2G tech pilots: 50 sites in US 2022.
- 48V mild hybrids: 15% market penetration 2022.
- AI in manufacturing: 40% efficiency gain in 2022 pilots.
- Connected car subscriptions: 25 million active in 2022.
- Ultium battery platform: GM produced 100,000 packs 2022.
- Level 3 autonomy approvals: 3 states in 2022.
- Wireless charging pilots: 10 US cities 2022.
- Digital twins used in 60% of US plants 2022.
- Carbon fiber adoption: 5 models with lightweighting 2022.
- 5G in vehicles: First commercial rollout by GM 2022.
- Recycled materials: 20% average in new EVs 2022.
- AR/VR training reduced onboarding 30% in 2022.
- Blockchain for supply chain: Piloted by Ford 2022.
- Synthetic fuels research: $500M invested 2022.
Innovation and Technology Interpretation
While Tesla was feverishly patenting the future of batteries, GM was writing the biggest check for it, Ford was quietly racking up a billion hands-free miles, and everyone else was busy connecting, updating, and autonomously piloting their way toward an electric, software-defined reality that's still, statistically, getting only 28.4 miles to the gallon.
Production and Manufacturing
- In 2022, US light vehicle production reached 10.06 million units, a 6.5% increase from 2021.
- Ford Motor Company produced 1.87 million vehicles in the US in 2022 across its assembly plants.
- General Motors assembled 2.21 million vehicles in North America in 2022, with 80% in the US.
- Tesla's Fremont factory produced 560,000 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in 2022.
- US auto parts manufacturing output was valued at $248 billion in 2022.
- Stellantis produced 1.45 million vehicles at its US plants in 2022, including Jeep and Ram.
- In Q1 2023, US vehicle production hit 2.28 million units, up 12% YoY.
- Honda manufactured 1.15 million vehicles in the US in 2022 at its Ohio and Alabama plants.
- Toyota's US production totaled 1.98 million vehicles in 2022, including hybrids.
- The US had 13 major vehicle assembly plants operational in 2022 producing over 10 million units.
- Rivian produced 24,337 vehicles at its Normal, Illinois plant in 2022.
- US engine production reached 11.2 million units in 2022.
- Lucid Motors produced 7,180 Air sedans in Arizona in 2022.
- In 2021, US light truck production was 7.8 million units, 78% of total.
- GM's Factory Zero in Detroit produced 35,000 EVs in 2022.
- US stamping and forging output for autos was $45 billion in 2022.
- Volkswagen's Chattanooga plant produced 152,000 vehicles in 2022.
- In 2023, US production capacity utilization was 92% for light vehicles.
- Subaru of Indiana Automotive produced 310,000 vehicles in 2022.
- US battery manufacturing for EVs reached 100 GWh capacity by end-2022.
- Nissan built 465,000 vehicles at its US plants in 2022.
- BMW's Spartanburg plant output was 410,000 SUVs in 2022.
- US transmission production was 9.5 million units in 2022.
- Mercedes-Benz Tuscaloosa plant produced 222,000 vehicles in 2022.
- In H1 2023, US EV production was 300,000 units.
- Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant assembled 500,000 F-Series trucks in 2022.
- GM produced 1.1 million trucks and SUVs in the US in 2022.
- US auto body/welding employment supported 1.2 million jobs in production chains.
- Tesla Gigafactory Texas produced 100,000 Cybertrucks targeted for 2023 ramp-up.
- In 2022, US light vehicle production downtime averaged 15% due to chips shortage.
Production and Manufacturing Interpretation
The American auto industry spent 2022 flexing its production muscles, churning out over 10 million vehicles while simultaneously navigating a semiconductor-induced headache that would make any seasoned mechanic wince.
Sales and Market Share
- US new car sales reached 13.8 million units in 2022.
- Ford F-Series sold 650,612 units in 2022, topping US sales charts.
- Tesla Model Y was the best-selling EV with 231,400 units in 2022.
- Chevrolet Silverado sales hit 513,367 units in 2022.
- Ram Pickup sold 468,344 units in 2022.
- Toyota RAV4 sales were 399,941 units in 2022.
- Electric vehicle sales in US grew 55% to 805,000 units in 2022.
- Honda CR-V sold 361,531 units in 2022.
- GMC Sierra sales reached 241,522 units in 2022.
- Jeep Grand Cherokee sold 242,969 units in 2022.
- Tesla Model 3 sales were 189,903 units in 2022.
- Toyota Camry sold 295,201 units in 2022.
- Ford Explorer sales hit 213,199 units in 2022.
- Light trucks accounted for 80% of 2022 US sales at 11 million units.
- Nissan Rogue sold 271,458 units in 2022.
- Hyundai Tucson sales were 197,675 units in 2022.
- Market share of domestic brands was 49% in 2022 US sales.
- Q1 2023 US sales were 3.4 million units, up 4% YoY.
- Chevrolet Equinox sold 172,181 units in 2022.
- Subaru Outback sales reached 158,899 units in 2022.
- Ford Mustang Mach-E sold 39,585 EV units in 2022.
- Toyota Corolla sales were 157,671 units in 2022.
- Luxury segment sales grew 2% to 2.7 million units in 2022.
- Jeep Wrangler sold 158,428 units in 2022.
- Honda Civic sales hit 200,781 units in 2022.
- Tesla's US market share in EVs was 62% in 2022.
- GM total sales 2.27 million vehicles in 2022.
- Ford total US sales 1.86 million units in 2022.
- Toyota US sales totaled 2.11 million vehicles in 2022.
Sales and Market Share Interpretation
The American road remains a battleground where Ford's iconic pickup trucks still reign supreme, yet the undeniable electric charge from Tesla's surge is quietly rewriting the rules of the game.
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