15 Things You Didn’t Know About Tesla Motors

1. A historic public debut
Tesla went public in June, 2010
Its stock market debut was the first time a U.S. automaker had gone public in more than half a century

2. Musk’s public payday
Tesla’s chief executive Elon Musk sold 900,212 shares at the company’s initial offering worth around $15.3 million, according to SEC filings

3. A lucrative land grab
Tesla purchased its 380-acre Freemont auto factory in 2010 for just $42 million
Today, its Freemont facility is reportedly worth around $2 billion

4. Unprecedented approach to service
Tesla began making “house calls” in 2009 in which the company would send technicians to a customer’s house to fix problems with their Tesla vehicles

5. Best service in the business
Customers can opt for $100 per visit for a Tesla-certified ranger to service their vehicle in the comfort of their home
Tesla’s legacy of convenient service continues today.

6. Tesla was inspired by Zappos
In the early days, Tesla studied Zappos.com’s approach to customer service
The automaker also relied on feedback from its then customer base of just 700 owners in 2009

7. First-mover advantage
In 2009, Tesla Motors was the only automaker selling highway-capable electric vehicles in North America and Canada
Today every major automaker is selling an EV

8. Exceptional international growth
At the end of 2010 Tesla operated just 14 retail stores or showrooms worldwide
Today, Tesla has more than double that amount of stores in Europe alone

9. Nasdaq’s most misunderstood stock
In 2011, Tesla Motors was the most shorted stock on the Nasdaq
Tesla’s shares are up more than 1,022% since then
Last year, Tesla’s stock was one of the best performers in the S&P

10. An auto dealer for the 21st century
In 2001, Tesla became one of the first U.S. auto companies to offer customers a digital design studio in which they could design their car online and purchase directly from the site

11. Innovator of the year
Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk wins the Wall Street Journal’s Innovator of the Year award in 2011
Musk was recognized for revolutionizing three major industries including autos, energy, and space exploration

12. Fastest selling Tesla also most delayed
In 2012 when the company unveiled its Model X SUV EV it was its fastest selling Tesla ever, based on advanced sales
Model X has since been delayed three times
First deliveries expected later this year

13. Supercharging the EV market
Tesla constructed its first six Supercharger station in secret ahead of the launch of its U.S. Supercharger network in 2012
Last year, Tesla expanded the network by a whopping 400%

14. A reputation for trickery
Tesla loves a good prank, every year it releases a special press release on April Fool’s day
This year it was announcing the Tesla W meant to spoof the Apple watch

15. Tesla’s boldest move yet
Last year, Tesla did something unheard of in the auto industry and publicly released all of its patents
Tesla now encourages other major automakers to use its visionary technology