Tesla, Inc.

(formerly Tesla Motors) is an American automaker, energy storage company,

and solar panel manufacturer based in Palo Alto, California.[6] Founded in 2003, the
company specializes in electric cars, lithium-ion battery energy storage, and
residential photovoltaic panels(through the subsidiary company SolarCity).[7][8][9][10] The
additional products Tesla sells include the Tesla Powerwall and Powerpack batteries, solar
panels and solar roof tiles.

CEO Elon Musk said that he envisions Tesla as a technology company and independent
automaker,[11] aimed at eventually offering electric cars at prices affordable to the average
consumer.[12][13] The company was named after the Serbian-American electrical
engineer and physicist Nikola Tesla by company co-founders Martin Eberhard and Marc
Tarpenning.[14][15][16][17]

The company's Model S was the world's best-selling plug-in electric car in 2015 and
2016.[18][19] Global sales of the Model S reached 150,000 units in November 2016.[20] In
September 2015 the company released its Model X, a crossover SUV. The Model 3[21] was
released in July 2017.[22][23][24] Tesla global sales passed 250,000 units in September
2017.[25][26][27]

Tesla operates multiple production and assembly plants, notably Gigafactory 1 near Reno,
Nevada and its main vehicle manufacturing facility at Tesla Factory in Fremont, California.
The Gigafactory primarily produces batteries and battery packs for Tesla vehicles and
energy storage products.[28]

In 2016, Tesla topped Consumer Reports' Annual Owner Satisfaction Survey at 91%.[29] In
February 2017, Consumer Reports named Tesla as the top American car brand and ranked
it 8th among global carmakers.[30]