Gadgets Philippines – July 2019

40 JULY 2019 http://www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

MOBILITY

Tesla:

From eV To auTopiloT

By Mia Carisse Barrientos

Tesla is an American electric-automobile manufacturer synonymous with innovation. The

company gained a head start in the industry by reenvisioning electronic vehicles and pushing

the green movement forward. But before the buzz and Elon Musk, there was the GM EV1.

The first mass-produced and purpose-designed electric car by General Motors (GM) was

leased in the late ‘90s but was later discontinued. GM deemed it too niche for the then fickle

automobile market. Its death, however, sparked a dream in many: a zero-emission future.

In 2003, Silicon Valley engineers and entrepreneurs Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning took

up the mantle and started Tesla Motors. The company named after Serbian American inventor

Nikola Tesla, known for his creation of electromagnetic devices, once again jump-started the

development of electric vehicles (EV).

Photos from: Tesla website