What was Tesla's first production electric car?

Tesla’s first production electric car was the first-generation Tesla Roadster.

Based on a modified Lotus Elise chassis, the Roadster was developed as a lightweight electric sports car rather than as a practical family vehicle. Tesla delivered its first production example in February 2008, beginning a production run that lasted until 2012. About 2,450 were sold in more than 30 countries.

The Roadster used a lithium-ion battery pack and a three-phase AC induction motor. It became the first highway-legal serial-production all-electric car to use lithium-ion cells and the first production electric car with a range exceeding 200 miles on a charge.

The Roadster’s role is sometimes mixed up with the Model S because the sedan became Tesla’s first mass-market success. The Model S arrived in 2012, while the Model 3 came later as a more affordable high-volume model. The Roadster was Tesla’s technological proof of concept and helped finance the company’s broader ambitions.