<P> Tesla began with a sports car aimed at early adopters followed by mainstream and mass market vehicles, all serving "as a catalyst to accelerate the day of electric vehicles". </P> <P> Tesla signed a Roadster production contract on July 11, 2005, with Group Lotus to produce "gliders" (complete cars but without powertrain). The Roadster used an AC motor descended directly from Nikola Tesla's original 1882 design . </P> <P> The Tesla Roadster (2008) was the first production automobile to use lithium - ion battery cells and the first production EV with a range greater than 200 mi (320 km) per charge . Between 2008 and March 2012, Tesla sold more than 2,250 Roadsters in 31 countries . Tesla stopped taking orders for the Roadster in the U.S. market in August 2011 . </P> <P> In December 2012, Tesla employed almost 3,000 full - time employees . As of late 2016, Tesla employed more than 30,000 (25,000 in the US) after acquiring Grohmann and SolarCity . </P>

When did the first tesla car come out