Quoted directly from tesla.com (2022) – “Tesla was founded in 2003 by a group of engineers who wanted to prove that people didn’t need to compromise to drive electric – that electric vehicles can be better, quicker and more fun to drive than gasoline cars.  Today, Tesla builds not only all-electric vehicles but also infinitely scalable clean energy generation and storage products.  Tesla believes the faster the world stops relying on fossil fuels and moves towards a zero-emission future, the better.”

Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning set up Tesla Motors in July 2003.  The company’s name is a tribute to the famous inventor Nikola Tesla who was also an electrical engineer. Elon Musk, in February 2004, provided the company with $6.5 million in investment funds and became the largest shareholder of the Tesla Motors company.  Musk has served as CEO since 2008.

Tesla began production of the Tesla Roadster in 2009.  This was followed by the Tesla Model S sedan in 2012, the Tesla Model X SUV in 2015, the Tesla Model 3 sedan in 2017, and the Tesla Model Y crossover in 2020.

As of August 2022, the number of sales around the globe for the Tesla Model 3 sedan make it the best-selling plug-in electric car worldwide.  In June 2021, Tesla’s Model 3 became the first electric car to sell 1 million units.

Currently (August 2022) in Australia, you can buy the Tesla Model 3 (sedan) and the Tesla Model Y (crossover SUV).