Tesla American electric vehicles - the pioneer of mainstream EVs
Tesla is the world's most valuable automaker and the company that brought electric vehicles into the mainstream. Founded in Silicon Valley, Tesla combines cutting-edge battery technology, autonomous driving software, and direct-to-consumer sales to challenge every convention in the auto industry.
Tesla was founded in 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, with Elon Musk joining as chairman and lead investor in 2004. The original Roadster (2008) proved EVs could be desirable. The Model S (2012) redefined the luxury sedan, followed by the Model X SUV (2015), the mass-market Model 3 (2017), and the Model Y crossover (2020). The Cybertruck arrived in 2023 as one of the most unconventional pickups ever built.
Tesla vehicles are defined by their all-electric powertrains delivering instant torque, over-the-air software updates that continuously improve the car, minimalist interior design centered around large touchscreens, and the Autopilot/FSD suite pushing toward autonomous driving. The Supercharger network remains a key competitive advantage.
The original Roadster put Tesla on the map. The Model S Plaid holds the record for the fastest production sedan. The Model 3 became the best-selling EV globally. The Cybertruck broke every design convention with its stainless steel exoskeleton. Each Tesla model has pushed boundaries in range, performance, or design.
The Tesla Model S Plaid can accelerate from 0-60 mph in under 2 seconds, making it one of the fastest production cars ever made. Tesla's Gigafactories produce more batteries than the rest of the auto industry combined. The Cybertruck's stainless steel body is the same alloy SpaceX uses for Starship.