Tesla is the electric-vehicle maker founded in 2003 and headquartered in Austin, Texas.
Tesla was established in July 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning as Tesla Motors. Elon Musk joined as an early investor and became chairman; he later became chief executive. The company was named after electrical engineer and inventor Nikola Tesla.
Tesla’s first production vehicle was the Roadster, launched in 2008. It used lithium-ion battery cells and was based partly on the Lotus Elise sports-car platform. The Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y later broadened the company’s market reach.
Tesla moved its legal headquarters from Palo Alto to Austin in 2021. Its stock-market value has often reflected expectations about electric vehicles, batteries, charging, software, and automated-driving technology.