Ten years ago, Tesla was a very different company. For one, their name was actually Tesla Motors at the time. They also had been struggling to get their company off the ground. They had received some government funds, some private backing, and a few positive breaks, but they weren't out of the woods.
The Roadster had done only a part of its job. It sold fine but it wasn't wildly profitable. What it did do was prove the technology was available to make an electric car more mainstream. Since that day we've seen Tesla grow into the paramount EV maker on the planet. Today we look at some of the small details most people wouldn't know about them and how they've achieved all they have.
15 Elon Wasn't The Founder
Elon was actually brought in on the first major quest for funding. Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning were actually the two main players from day one. Only after a lawsuit filed by Eberhard against Tesla were all five major individuals involved legally considered "Co-Founders".
14 He Micro-Managed From Day 1
While it can easily be said that Musk has a very in-depth presence at Tesla today, he started that kind of behavior all the way back in the days of the Roadster. He was adamant about the carbon tub it used for instance and went so far as to go to the body panel manufacturer in London to discuss how the panels were being made.
13 It's Always Been A Roller Coaster
During the production of the first Roadster, Tesla did an internal audit of the production process and realized that the car was ultimately going to cost them more to produce than they were selling it for. This is the main reason Eberhard was ousted as CEO. It also led to Musk having to request even more money for the car from buyers that had already locked in their pricing.
12 Vertical Integration
Vertical integration could perhaps be summed up by saying that Tesla makes almost all of its own parts. They aren't like most other car companies in that manner. For instance the Big Three here in America outsource most of their parts and focus on the drivetrain and assembly of vehicles. That strategy has paid off in spades for Tesla. It's just one of the key factors in their success though.
11 One Man's Vision
From the day Elon took over, he had a "Master Plan" for Tesla where the Roadster would spawn the Model S. The Model S would then open the way for Model X and the successful sales of those two models would birth the smaller and widely more affordable Model 3 and Model Y. It's gone exactly as he thought it would, in part because he's treated the company like a tech entity, not just a car company.
10 Loopholes
The dealer association of America is a lobby that can't stand not getting a cut of all automotive sales around the country. They're basically a middle-man between the general public and car companies.
Tesla doesn't do dealers. They sell directly to the public as a tech company would. So a couple of states like Texas and Colorado have tried to ban Tesla sales until Tesla gives them a cut in what is clearly asking for a bribe.
Tesla, instead of pandering to these forces, has opened galleries. You can't buy a Tesla in them but you can do everything else you would at a Tesla store. Test drive, build and learn more about the brand.
9 Expansion
Tesla has a large footprint here in America but what most don't know is that they're all over the globe now with multiple factories and plants. In fact, China has become a gigantic customer of the brand which has only furthered development there.
8 Branching Out
The company has also joined forces with Solar City to provide a totally environmentally friendly home. The tiles you see on this roof are all solar, power is then fed to a Tesla Powerwall in the home that stores that energy and then uses it as needed. If the sun is out, these folks are getting free juice. That then, of course, can be used to fuel the Tesla car in the garage, too.
7 Old School M5 Fighter
The first few years of the Model S from 2012-2015 are pretty exceptional buys right now if you're in the market. The P85+ model, for instance, is a proper M5 fighter. It packs nearly 500 horsepower and sends it all to the back wheels only. They're far cheaper to buy and maintain too.
6 Humble Beginnings
Today when we think of autopilot we think of a system that is soon going to be capable of going coast to coast without interference. It didn't start anywhere near that though. Originally it could barely do more than modern cars with only limited semi-autonomous driving and parking capabilities.
5 Best Invention Of 2012
Considering the impact it's had we can all agree that the Model S was a game-changer. That's bared out in the accolades it's received too. In 2012, it was named one of the greatest inventions of the year. It's lasted only slightly longer than Google Glass.
4 Model E
Did you know that originally the Model 3 was going to be the Model E? Ford actually stepped in at the last moment and nixed this based on a Copywrite they have on the name. Elon is a quick thinker though, he switched it to a 3 and the S3XY dream lives on.
3 Falcon Doors
Innovation is hard and door technology isn't something you often think needs changing. Elon saw an opportunity here though and released the first-ever "Falcon" door. They call it that because of the hinge in the middle of the door that allows it to change how it rises and where it stops based on the surroundings at the moment. They're a bit of a gimmick, but they do offer some extra nice features.
2 Tesla Doesn't Make Slow Cars
It seems no Tesla is truly every slow. Even the slowest Model 3 and Model Y end up at 60 mph in less than 7 seconds. That's more than competitive and the fast models are straight-up supercar killers with 60 mph times in the sub 4-second range.
1 Rocket Tesla
The next Roadster is due out sometime late this year. Lately, Tesla has managed to release things on time or even ahead of time but the wait will be worth it. Elon has mentioned using actual rockets or more correctly, cold gas thrusters on the car to aid in all things. I for one can't wait to see that in action.
