Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) is the world's leading manufacturer of electric vehicles. With more than 26% of the market share in 2022, the company's leadership position is all but assured for the coming decade if not longer. While specifically an EV manufacturer, however, the company is also engaged in many related and unrelated ventures that could produce significant results for shareholders.
Tesla, Inc. was first incorporated in 2003 in California as Tesla Motors, Inc but later changed its name. Founded by Martin Eberhard and Marc Terpening, Elon Musk became the company's largest shareholder in 2006 and then its CEO in 2008. Tesla went public via IPO in 2010 making it the first American automobile company to do so since Ford back in 1956. The company reached a half million in annual vehicle sales in 2020 and crossed over the 1 million mark in 2022.
Under Musk's guidance, the company was reborn and moved away from the high-end sports-car segment and into a line of cars geared toward a larger audience. The first model, the Roadster, was soon eclipsed by the Model S which is the top-selling plug-in EV car to this day. Follow-on models include the Model X SUV in 2015, the Model 3 sedan in 2017, and the Model Y crossover in 2020.
Tesla, Inc.'s name change came in 2017 shortly after then and current CEO Elon Musk agreed to acquire SolarCity and expand the company's product line. Tesla is now headquartered in Austin, Texas, and operates global manufacturing capacity through a network of Gigafactories. The company has 5 Gigafactories in key locations around the world with a 6th planned. The Gigafactories are noteworthy for multiple reasons including their size, end-to-end production capability, and non-reliance on grid-supplied power.
Tesla's automobile segment designs, develops, manufactures, leases, and sells electric vehicles in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and internationally. This segment offers a line of luxury Ev s equipped with industry-leading features. The company also generates revenue by selling excess EV credits to the business at large. The Energy Generation and Storage segment designs, manufactures, sells, and installs, solar energy generation and energy storage products for residential, commercial, and industrial customers as well as electric utilities.
One of Tesla's related products is the Tesla Powerwall and Tesla Powerpack battery packs. The Powerwall and Powerpack are stationary lithium-ion battery packs for home or industrial use. The power packs can store solar or other green-generated powers for later use or backup power in emergency situations. This segment of the business was merged with Solarcity to form the Energy Generation and Storage segment. Among the many technologies worked on by the company are self-driving/autonomous vehicles, AI, and glass along with EV motors and batteries.
