What was the original name of Tesla when it was incorporated in 2003?

Tesla was originally incorporated in 2003 as Tesla Motors.

The company was founded by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning in July 2003. Elon Musk joined soon afterward as an early major investor and became chairman in 2004. Tesla’s first vehicle, the Roadster, entered production in the late 2000s and used lithium-ion battery cells.

Tesla changed its corporate name from Tesla Motors, Inc. to Tesla, Inc. in 2017. The shorter name reflected a business that had expanded beyond cars into energy storage, solar products, charging infrastructure, and related technology.

A common mistake is to identify Elon Musk as Tesla’s sole founder. Musk became its most prominent executive and public figure, but the company was established by Eberhard and Tarpenning. Tesla’s rapid growth later made it one of the most valuable automakers and public companies.