Tesla launched the Model S, its first production electric sedan, in 2012.
The Model S was unveiled in 2009 and entered production in 2012. It followed Tesla’s Roadster, a battery-electric sports car based on the Lotus Elise platform. The Model S gave Tesla a larger, more practical vehicle aimed at the luxury-sedan market and helped demonstrate that an electric car could offer long range and strong acceleration.
Tesla was founded in 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. Elon Musk joined as an early major investor and became chairman; he later became chief executive. The company’s early strategy was to begin with a premium vehicle, then expand toward more affordable models.
Tesla is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and operates vehicle factories in several countries. The Model 3, introduced later, became a much higher-volume product. Tesla is distinct from Nikola Corporation, whose name also references inventor Nikola Tesla but whose business focuses on commercial vehicles.