Tesla cars are built by Tesla, Inc., with the company overseeing the entire design, engineering, and manufacturing process. However, the physical assembly happens in a global network of highly automated factories, primarily the Fremont Factory in California and Gigafactory Shanghai in China, with newer facilities in Berlin, Germany, and Austin, Texas, rapidly scaling up production. The company's founder, Elon Musk, is the public face and driving force behind the vision, but it's the collective work of tens of thousands of engineers, designers, and technicians that brings the vehicles to life.
The story of who built Tesla is more complex than a single person. The company was originally founded in 2003 by engineers Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. Elon Musk led the initial funding round in 2004 and became deeply involved in the product development, eventually taking over as CEO. The first car, the Tesla Roadster, was a proof-of-concept that used a Lotus Elise glider (the base car without a powertrain) and fitted it with Tesla's innovative electric powertrain. Since then, Tesla has vertically integrated nearly all aspects of production.
Modern Tesla vehicles are designed and built from the ground up as electric vehicles. The Fremont Factory, which Tesla purchased from a Toyota-GM joint venture, is one of the most advanced automotive plants in the world. Here's a look at the production capacity of its main factories:
| Manufacturing Facility | Location | Primary Models Produced | Estimated Annual Capacity (approx.) |
|---|
| Fremont Factory | Fremont, California, USA | Model S, Model X, Model 3, Model Y | 600,000 vehicles |
| Gigafactory Shanghai | Shanghai, China | Model 3, Model Y | > 750,000 vehicles |
| Gigafactory Berlin | Grünheide, Germany | Model Y | 500,000+ vehicles |
| Gigafactory Texas | Austin, Texas, USA | Model Y, Cybertruck | 250,000+ vehicles |
This distributed manufacturing strategy allows Tesla to serve major markets efficiently while managing supply chain risks. The key takeaway is that Tesla cars are a product of a large, modern corporation, not a single inventor in a garage.
