Quick answer: Tesla, Inc. (called Tesla Motors until 2017) was founded in 2003 by engineers Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning and named after the Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla. Elon Musk (full name Elon Reeve Musk) led its first big investment round in 2004, became chairman, and has been CEO since 2008. Under a 2009 legal settlement, five people can call themselves co-founders: Eberhard, Tarpenning, Musk, JB Straubel and Ian Wright.
The name: a tribute to Nikola Tesla
The company is named after Nikola Tesla (1856–1943), whose work on alternating current (AC) power and induction motors underlies modern electric drivetrains. Tesla's first car, the Roadster, used an AC induction motor.
Who actually founded Tesla?
- Martin Eberhard was the first CEO.
- Marc Tarpenning was the first CFO.
- Elon Musk led the 2004 Series A round and became chairman.
- JB Straubel was the longtime CTO.
- Ian Wright was an early engineer.
In 2009, Eberhard sued Musk over the founding story. The case settled, and the settlement lets all five be called co-founders.
Key milestones
- 2008: The first Roadster is delivered, and Musk becomes CEO.
- 2010: Tesla goes public on NASDAQ under the ticker TSLA.
- 2012: The Model S launches.
- 2017: The company renames itself Tesla, Inc. The Model 3 starts deliveries.
- 2021: Tesla moves its headquarters from California to Austin, Texas.
Real names behind the brand
- Elon Musk: Elon Reeve Musk, born in Pretoria, South Africa, in 1971.
- JB Straubel: Jeffrey Brian Straubel (per his Bloomberg executive profile).
- Nikola Tesla: the company's namesake. He had no involvement with the company; he died in 1943.
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FAQ
Did Elon Musk found Tesla? He wasn't one of the two people who incorporated it in 2003. He was its first major investor, and a 2009 settlement lets him be called a co-founder.
Why is it called Tesla? It's named after Nikola Tesla, the inventor behind AC power systems and the induction motor.
When did Tesla Motors become Tesla, Inc.? In February 2017.