Tesla

Tesla was founded in 2003 in San Carlos, California by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, named in honour of electrical pioneer Nikola Tesla. Elon Musk joined as chairman and lead investor in 2004 after the company's Series A round and took over as CEO in 2008. Tesla's Roadster of 2008 shattered the assumption that electric cars had to be slow and dull. The Model S of 2012 redefined the premium car segment and made Tesla the world's most influential automotive brand in the electric era.