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Tesla, Inc.
100px
Headquarters USA.png Austin, Texas, United States
Founded July 1, 2003
Series Stock Car E-Series

Tesla, Inc., commonly referred to as Tesla, is an American electric vehicle and clean energy company based in Austin, Texas, United States. Tesla designs and manufactures electric cars, battery energy storage from home to grid-scale, solar panels and solar roof tiles, and related products and services. The company had the most sales of battery electric vehicles and plug-in electric vehicles, capturing 16% of the plug-in market (which includes plug-in hybrids) and 23% of the battery-electric (purely electric) market.

Tesla began production of its first car model, the Roadster, in 2009. This was followed by the Tesla Model S sedan in 2012, the Tesla Model X SUV in 2015, the Tesla Model 3 sedan in 2017, and the Tesla Model Y crossover in 2020. The Tesla Model 3 is the all-time best-selling plug-in electric car worldwide, and, in June 2021, became the first electric car to sell 1 million units globally.

History[edit | edit source]

Tesla's long-term goal was to create affordable mass market electric vehicles; to this end, the company's strategy was to start with a premium sports car aimed at early adopters and then move into more mainstream vehicles, including sedans and affordable compacts.

Prototypes of Tesla's first car, the Roadster, were officially revealed to the public on July 19, 2006, in Santa Monica, California, at a 350-person invitation-only event held in Barker Hangar at Santa Monica Airport. Production began in 2008. By January 2009, Tesla had raised $187 million and delivered 147 cars. Musk had contributed $70 million of his own money to the company.

In May 2010, Tesla purchased what would later become the Tesla Factory in Fremont, California, from Toyota for $42 million, and opened the facility in October 2010 to start production of the Model S. The Model S was launched in January 2012, with production of the Roadster ceasing at the same time. Tesla began shipping its third vehicle, the luxury SUV Tesla Model X, in September 2015, at which time it had 25,000 pre-orders. Tesla began selling its fourth vehicle model, the Model 3 sedan, in July 2017.

Motorsports[edit | edit source]

Tesla announced its support of the fledgling Stock Car E-Series in July 2019; by September, the manufacturer announced a partnership with Team CJR; the effort was branded as Plaid Race Team / CJR, confirming that the brand would compete with the Model S Plaid. Olivia Stafford and former Indianapolis 500 champion Tito Karrico were announced as the team's drivers at a press event in September 2020.