Tesla began trading publicly in 2010 after raising about $226 million in its initial public offering.
Tesla’s IPO took place on June 29, 2010, when the company sold 13.3 million shares at $17 each. It raised approximately $226 million and became the first American automobile manufacturer to go public since Ford Motor Company’s 1956 offering.
The listing gave Tesla access to public capital while it was still developing its electric-vehicle production business. Tesla later became one of the world’s most valuable automobile companies by market capitalization, with investors valuing its electric vehicles, battery technology, software, and energy businesses.
Tesla’s early public history is distinct from later electric-vehicle listings. Rivian, Lucid Motors, and NIO entered public markets after Tesla, and several used mergers with special-purpose acquisition companies rather than a traditional IPO. Tesla’s 2010 offering was a conventional initial public offering on the Nasdaq.