Tesla is the electric-vehicle company founded in 2003 that trades under the ticker TSLA.
Tesla was incorporated in July 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. Elon Musk joined as an early major investor and became chairman, later serving as chief executive. The company’s first production vehicle was the Roadster, introduced in 2008 and based on a modified Lotus Elise platform.
Tesla later developed the Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y, helping bring battery-electric vehicles into the mainstream market. It also sells energy-storage products and operates charging infrastructure, so its business extends beyond vehicle manufacturing.
Tesla’s market capitalization has often been much larger than traditional automakers’ valuations, reflecting investor expectations for electric vehicles, batteries, software, autonomy, and future growth. TSLA is its Nasdaq ticker. BYD, Rivian, and Lucid Motors are separate electric-vehicle companies.