Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA)

Tesla makes electric vehicles, energy storage systems, and solar panels. The Model Y became the best-selling car in the world (any powertrain) in 2023. Elon Musk didn't found Tesla u2014 Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning did in 2003 u2014 but he led the Series A, became chairman, and eventually pushed out the founders. Love him or hate him, Musk turned a niche EV startup into a company that forced every major automaker to go electric.

Vehicle sales account for about 85% of revenue, with the Model Y and Model 3 doing the heavy lifting. Energy generation and storage is growing fast. Regulatory credits (selling carbon credits to other automakers) have been a surprisingly lucrative side hustle, contributing billions over the years. Tesla also makes money from Supercharger network access, Full Self-Driving subscriptions, and insurance.

Founded in 2003, Tesla delivered its first car (the Roadster) in 2008. The Model S launched in 2012 and proved EVs could be desirable. IPO in 2010 at $17 per share. The Gigafactory in Nevada broke ground in 2014. Tesla joined the S&P 500 in December 2020, triggering one of the largest index rebalances ever. The Cybertruck finally shipped in late 2023 after years of delays.