# Tesla (DD-520)

> Tesla, named after the inventor Nikola Tesla, grew from a small carmaker into one of the world's most valuable companies. It built Gigafactories in China, Germany and Texas, made the Model 3 the world's best-selling electric car for four years, and expanded into solar through a disputed 2016 takeover of SolarCity.

- Department: Tech (also Cars)
- First published: 2025-03-20
- Last updated: 2025-03-20
- Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/tesla/
- Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department

## On the timeline

- **2003**: Tesla founded
- **2008**: Roadster launched

Full timeline: https://detailenjoyer.com/timeline/?case=tesla

## Quick facts

- **DD-520-F01**: 2003. _(Write-up · Exhibit A (The name))_
- **DD-520-F02**: Eberhard, Tarpenning. _(Write-up · Exhibit A (The name))_

## Write-up

Tesla's story is usually told through its cars, but its biggest turning points came from factories, an acquisition and the stock market.

1. **The name**: The company is named in tribute to the inventor and electrical engineer Nikola Tesla.
2. **A record seller**: The Model 3 was the world's best-selling electric car from 2018 to 2021, passing 1 million cumulative sales in June 2021.
3. **Factories abroad**: Gigafactory Shanghai, begun in January 2019, was the first car factory in China fully owned by a foreign company rather than a joint venture.
4. **The SolarCity deal**: Tesla bought SolarCity in an all-stock $2.6 billion deal in November 2016, which was controversial because shareholders were not told about SolarCity's liquidity problems.
5. **A trillion-dollar company**: Tesla first reached a US$1 trillion market value from October 2021 to March 2022, the sixth U.S. company to do so.

## Related case files

- [Tesla Bot (DD-545)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/tesla-bot/): I linked more Tesla
- [The Boring Company (DD-528)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-boring-company/): I linked another Musk company

## Reel vs. record

- **Note**: None needed.

## Video: Tesla: Tesla Was Founded in 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning

- Duration: 22.9 s · Published: 2025-03-20
- File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/DHbhBndSx3a.mp4

### Transcript

Did you know? Tesla is a leading electric vehicle and clean energy company founded in 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. With Elon Musk joining shortly after as its most prominent figure, Tesla revolutionized the EV industry with high-performance, long-range electric cars, starting with the Roadster in 2008, and later expanding to mass-market models like the Model S, Model 3, Model X and Model Y. NOW YOU KNOW!

## Questions & answers

**Q: Founded?**  
A: Year. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (The name) · Wikipedia: Tesla, Inc.)_

**Q: First car?**  
A: 2008. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Factories abroad) · Wikipedia: Tesla, Inc.)_

**Q: Co-founder?**  
A: Founders. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (The name) · Wikipedia: Tesla, Inc.)_

**Q: Musk joined?**  
A: Investor. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (The name) · Wikipedia: Tesla, Inc.)_

**Q: Also sells?**  
A: Energy. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (The name) · Wikipedia: Tesla, Inc.)_

## Sources

- [Wikipedia: Tesla, Inc.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla,_Inc.)

## Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Tesla." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-520, last updated Mar 20, 2025. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/tesla/