Tesla’s first production car, launched in 2008 and based on the Lotus Elise, was the Tesla Roadster.
The Roadster was a two-seat battery-electric sports car built from 2008 to 2012. Tesla used a modified Lotus Elise chassis, but replaced the conventional powertrain with an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack. Its performance helped challenge the idea that electric vehicles had to be slow or limited to short trips.
The Roadster was produced in relatively small numbers compared with Tesla’s later vehicles. It served as a technology demonstrator and helped generate attention and funding for the company’s broader plan to build more affordable electric cars.
The Model S followed in 2012, becoming Tesla’s first mass-produced sedan and a much larger commercial product. The Roadster should not be confused with Tesla’s second-generation Roadster, which the company announced but had not put into regular production by 2026.