Company Story
2003 - Elon Musk co-founds Tesla, Inc. (initially named 'Tesla Motors') with Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning in Palo Alto, California.
2004 - Tesla raises $6.3 million in funding from investors, including Elon Musk, who becomes the company's chairman.
2006 - Tesla showcases its first car, the Tesla Roadster, which is a fully electric sports car.
2008 - Tesla begins production of the Roadster, and the company receives an additional $465 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy.
2010 - Tesla delivers its first Roadster to a customer and goes public with an initial public offering (IPO) that raises $226 million.
2012 - Tesla launches the Model S, a full-size luxury sedan, which receives positive reviews and helps establish the company as a major player in the electric vehicle market.
2013 - Tesla announces plans to build a network of Supercharger stations to enable long-distance travel in its vehicles.
2016 - Tesla acquires SolarCity, a solar panel manufacturing company, and begins to expand its product line to include solar energy products.
2017 - Tesla begins production of the Model 3, a more affordable sedan that becomes the company's best-selling vehicle.
2020 - Tesla becomes one of the most valuable companies in the world, with a market capitalization exceeding $100 billion.