Was Tesla The First Electric Car?

If you’re wondering when the first electric car was made, you may assume it was produced by Tesla. However, despite this popular automotive company’s reputation and global reach, it’s a relatively young business.

It could be argued that Tesla produced the first modern electric vehicle (EV), or globally successful EV, but the concept of the EV has a longer history. Here we explore the history of the EV. We’ll examine Tesla’s role in the evolution of EVs, its first electric car and the history of the company.

Did Tesla Invent The Electric Car?

By the end of 2022 Tesla had delivered 405,300 electric vehicles in the US alone. Globally, Tesla delivered over 1.3 million EV’s. Without a doubt, Tesla are a leading EV manufacturer and have a rich history of innovation and design that have led to their desirable electric cars today.

Tesla is as synonymous with electric cars as Harley Davidson is to motorbikes. However, while you’ll be surprised to learn that Tesla didn’t invent the electric car, you could still argue that Tesla was the first modern iteration.

Even though EVs were invented in the late 1800s, Tesla is the first modern electric car, the first to fit lithium-ion batteries and the first to become globally successful. As a company, Tesla has invested vast amounts into the innovation of battery design and power and was the first electric car company to achieve 405 miles as an EV driving range on one of their models.

When Was The First Electric Car Made?

Since 2008, Tesla have been experimenting and developing a range of EVs with advanced battery technology. Even though you could argue Tesla was the founding father of this current generation of EVs, the history of EVs stretches back to the 1800s.

In 1830s America and Europe, inventors were experimenting with battery power and electric car design, which led to the production of the first battery operated vehicles. In around 1832, Scottish inventor Robert Anderson invented the first crude electric vehicle while, in 1890, American chemist William Morrison created the first successful electric vehicle in the US.

This new electric car could transport up to six passengers and even get up to 14 miles per hour at top speed. It was such a success that it sparked an interest in electric cars across America. These early examples then led to an influx of EVs. In 1899, 90% of New York City taxis were electric. By the end of the 1800s, a third of all vehicles in the US were electric.

Despite the early success of the EV, the production of the gasoline engine Model T Ford by Henry Ford soon halted the popularity of the EVs. The Ford production line created cheaper and more affordable gasoline engines, changing the direction of car energy for the next century.

Was Tesla The First Electric Car Company?

While we know that Tesla wasn’t the first company to build electric cars, it was the first long-standing, globally successful company to build its reputation by producing electric cars.

Tesla was formed in 2003 with the intention of developing an electric sports car. With the launch of the Tesla Roadster in 2008, EVs become available to the masses once again, but this time they started to replace the combustion engine. With 1.3 million EVs delivered globally in 2022, Tesla have grown synonymous with EVs.

Today, Tesla has a range of affordable models, including the Model S, Model 3, Model X and Model Y. Each brings its own unique set of features to provide a luxurious and eco-friendly form of transport. 

When Was Tesla Founded?

Tesla Motors was founded in 2003 by American entrepreneurs Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning and was named after Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla.

PayPal co-founder Elon Musk assumed the title of Tesla CEO in 2008 and has since become the face of the company. Musk drove the company forwards and secured much-needed investment that propelled the company to greater success.

The unveiling of the Model S sedan in 2012 was a significant point in Tesla’s history as it secured the company's position within the automotive industry. Tesla was slowly becoming synonymous with EVs.

Today, Tesla is the global – and market – leading EV manufacturer, with several pioneering models to its name. With a mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy, Tesla has developed innovative battery power solutions and EV designs that are able to compete with the existing combustion engine vehicles on our roads.

Tesla has laid the foundations for the automotive industry, which has spurred other car manufacturers, such as Volvo, Toyota and Honda[AF5] , to invest in their own production of EVs.

Rent a Tesla for your next adventure and experience cutting-edge technology at the wheel.