Tesla, founded in 2003, became one of the world's most valuable companies.
Tesla was incorporated in July 2003 as Tesla Motors by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. Elon Musk joined as an early investor and became chairman in 2004. The company changed its name to Tesla, Inc. in 2017.
Tesla's first production vehicle was the Roadster, launched in 2008. It later produced the Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y. The Model 3 and Model Y helped move Tesla from a specialist electric-car maker toward mass-market production.
Tesla's market capitalization has often been much larger than that of traditional automakers, even when its vehicle sales were lower. Market value reflects expectations about future growth, software, batteries, charging, and autonomous-driving technology, not just current car deliveries.