Tesla created the electric Roadster, the first production car from its modern automotive business.
The Tesla Roadster entered production in 2008 and was based on the Lotus Elise sports-car platform. It used thousands of lithium-ion battery cells and demonstrated that an electric vehicle could offer sports-car performance and a substantial driving range. Tesla produced roughly 2,450 Roadsters before ending production in 2012.
The Roadster helped establish Tesla’s identity as a performance-focused electric-car company. Tesla later introduced the Model S sedan, Model X SUV, Model 3, and Model Y, expanding from a niche premium vehicle into a mass-market strategy.
Tesla was incorporated in 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. Elon Musk joined as an early investor and became chairman; he later became chief executive. Tesla’s market value has fluctuated sharply because investors weigh vehicle deliveries, manufacturing growth, software, batteries, and autonomous-driving ambitions.