Is Elon Musk the founder of Tesla?
By Tom Kertscher
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NO
Tesla Inc. was founded in 2003 by entrepreneurs Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, according to several sources, including Britannica, TheStreet.com, CNN and Benzinga financial news service.
A Sept. 18, 2023, post on Facebook's Politics Wisconsin page shared an image that said Elon Musk was not a founder.
The Austin, Texas-based company, best known for manufacturing Tesla electric vehicles, calls Musk a co-founder. Beginning in 2004, he was a major investor and served as the company chair. He has been CEO since 2008.
Bank of America said in June that Tesla’s share of the electric vehicle market was 62% in 2022, but predicted it would drop to 18% by 2026.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Encyclopædia Britannica Tesla, Inc. | History, Cars, Elon Musk, & Facts
TheStreet History of Tesla: Timeline and Facts
Yahoo Finance Benzinga: Elon Musk Wasn't The Original Founder of Tesla — The Forgotten Founders Behind The Iconic Brand
Facebook: Politics- Wisconsin (archive) Post: September 18, 2023
Tesla Elon Musk
Yahoo Finance Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) Company Profile & Facts
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