Tesla launched the first mass-produced electric car to win the 2013 Motor Trend Car of the Year award.
Tesla’s Model S received the award in 2013. The electric luxury sedan followed the limited-production Roadster and became a major step in Tesla’s effort to show that battery-powered cars could combine long range, performance, and premium features.
Tesla was founded in 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning; Elon Musk joined soon afterward as an early major investor and became chairman. The company’s market value later expanded dramatically as investors anticipated growth in electric vehicles, battery storage, charging infrastructure, and software.
The Model S is sometimes confused with the Nissan Leaf, which was an earlier mass-market electric car, or Tesla’s Roadster, which was based on the Lotus Elise and produced in smaller numbers. The award specifically recognized the Model S.