Timeline 344
2002
- January. Martin Heberhard and Marc Tarpen-
ning founded Tesla Motors with the goal
of reinventing the electric car and trans-
forming traditional car manufacturing
into a clean technology industry
2003- General Motors canceled the lease pro-
gram and removed the last EV1 from
the streets. They said they couldn’t sell
enough of the cars to make the EV1
profitable - July. Martin Heberhard and Marc Tarpen-
ning formally incorporated Tesla Mo-
tors. They had earlier made a feasibil-
ity study to see if they could make an
electric car. They now made a feasibility
study together with AC Propulsion to see
if the batteries would work - November. The 2 employees searched for
a partner to build the rest of the car.
Lotus became their choice
2004- February. Ian Wright, who had met Mar-
tin Eberhard while on a plane, joined the