Which company was founded in 2003 as Tesla Motors?

Tesla was founded in 2003 as Tesla Motors.

The company was incorporated in July 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. Elon Musk joined soon afterward as a major investor and became chairman. The company was named after inventor and electrical engineer Nikola Tesla, whose work included alternating-current electrical systems.

Tesla’s first production vehicle was the Roadster, introduced in 2008. It used lithium-ion battery cells and was based on a modified Lotus Elise chassis. Tesla later developed the Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y, helping move electric vehicles into the mainstream automobile market.

Tesla changed its legal name from Tesla Motors to Tesla, Inc. in 2017. Its market capitalization is influenced by expectations about electric vehicles, batteries, autonomous driving, and energy products, not just current vehicle sales.