The story of Tesla: the first steps of the company
The American company Tesla has changed the world of electric transport, showing that electric cars can be stylish and fast. The company’s cars have become popular all over the world thanks to its clever market positioning and the extraordinary personality of Elon Musk. Tesla’s story is interesting, and the company deserves special attention for its contribution to the popularisation of zero-emission cars.
Few people know that Elon Musk is not the founder of Tesla. The businessman joined the company a few months after its creation in July 2003. Tesla was the brainchild of two entrepreneurs – Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. They also developed the company’s mission – to create environmentally friendly transport using modern technology. Thanks to Musk, the new company received the largest investment at the time, USD 6.5 million, which gave an excellent boost to the development of the idea. Elon Musk, who took over as head of the company, was able to turn it into the world’s most expensive car manufacturer.
Tesla first steps on the market
Tesla launched its first electric car, the Roadster, in 2008. At the time, it had no outstanding features. The battery had a maximum range of 400 kilometres and took a long time to recharge. At the same time, the car cost USD 110,000, which led to low sales. For four years, the company managed to sell only 2.5 thousand units.
Although the Roadster was not a breakthrough for the company, it provided a good basis for the development of new models. In addition, the creation of this electric car was, in its own way, revolutionary for the industry:
– Tesla was the first company to use battery packs. Each pack contained up to a thousand small 18650 batteries.
– The Tesla Roadster had new cooling technologies and engine modifications.
– An advanced assembly process was used.
This approach has significantly reduced the cost of producing electric cars. In addition, the company still uses a similar version of updates – without generations but with regular modifications for new vehicles.
A new stage in the company development
The Roadster became a great platform for developing the Model S, which is now Tesla’s calling card. The prototype was unveiled in 2009, but production did not begin until 2012. Despite the car’s imperfections, it quickly became extremely popular. At this point, Tesla faced the challenge of scaling up production. In 2012, the company was producing just 20 cars a week, but by 2015, the volume had grown to 1,000. Currently, the company produces more than 16,000 electric cars of various models per week.
Tesla and its cars are known all over the world, but it was not until 2020 that the company began to make a profit. In 2021, it amounted to USD 5.5 billion, seven times higher than in the previous period, and the company’s capitalisation was more than USD 1 trillion. Tesla’s products have become a powerful impetus for the development of electric transport. The company provides convenient charging conditions for owners of electric cars and regularly expands the relevant infrastructure.
