Tesla developed the Roadster, the first commercially available car powered by a lithium-ion battery pack.
The Tesla Roadster entered production in 2008 and was based on the Lotus Elise sports-car platform. Tesla replaced the Elise’s conventional powertrain with an electric motor and a battery pack made from thousands of small cylindrical lithium-ion cells.
Earlier electric cars had used battery chemistries such as lead-acid or nickel-metal hydride. Tesla’s use of lithium-ion cells helped the Roadster achieve a sports-car-like range and performance, although the battery system required sophisticated monitoring and thermal management.
Tesla produced the Roadster until 2012. It was a low-volume model, but its technology and performance helped establish the company’s later Model S strategy. The Roadster should not be confused with Tesla’s announced second-generation Roadster, which has not entered regular production.