Tesla Motors Essay

The world is growing in population and productivity, which creates serious trouble for the environment with issue like an increase in global warming. Businesses that are making moves toward ‘going green’ are gaining popularity. The concepts of environmentally friendly products are an ethically and socially responsible decision for companies to move to if possible. In the discussion of products known to cause environmental damage, vehicles are a primary culprit. The release of carbon dioxide into the air from the burning of fossil fuels increases as consumers throughout the world turn to driving cars in greater numbers.
In response to the concern for environmental problems, minimizing fuel emissions in cars has become a project many car companies venture toward. Various types of vehicles that produce fewer pollutants in the air, and offer sustainable fuel options have become a reality. The new green cars include electric cars, hybrid cars, hydrogen cars, and solar cars. Each new technology offers an option other than petroleum to drive the car. Several big automobile companies such as Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Chevrolet, and Ford are the well-known names that offer environmentally friendly vehicles. Joining this group, another company entered the automotive market, in 2003, creating serious competition for the established car makers.
Tesla Motors was the new name to enter the automotive industry, but they chose to specialize in designing only electric vehicles. A group of engineers in Silicon Valley was responsible for establishing one the most attractive green cars anyone has seen on the market. The name Tesla Motors was inspired by the brilliant inventor Nikola Tesla, who patented the AC induction motor in 1888 ("About Tesla"). With a bold mission declaring “to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport by bringing compelling mass market electric cars to market as soon as possible”(Schilling, 2014). Success was inevitable for this innovative, exclusive brand of electric vehicles (EV). The company produces EV and EV powertrain systems and components. Tesla specializes in quality manufacturing for sleek design not seen in competitor’s brands.
The Tesla Motor Company has seen incredible growth in just over a decade and piqued the interest of Toyota, Daimler AG and other car manufacturers looking to partner with the company (Schilling, 2014). Eighty stores and galleries are open throughout North America, Europe, and Asia (Schilling, 2014). Needless to say, the auto-industry is a complicated market to enter. Entering this market as an underdog made it a risky move by initial investors, especially with such a large investment required to begin a car manufacturing company. The gamble paid off, as the company reported revenues of more than $2 billion near the end of 2014 (Schilling, 2014). Tesla Motors has done something extraordinary since their arrival as a car manufacturer who entered the industry with an electric sports car and continued on specializing in electric vehicles.
The list of components in the company’s excellence in design, building, manufacturing, and delivery of the Tesla brand vehicles include numerous unique features. The car batteries are said to last 250 miles per charge and can even conveniently charge from one’s home. Tesla has also placed over 100 charging stations throughout the U.S. that are complimentary to Tesla owners. The style and design of the car feature a classy interior with state of the art blue tooth technology with a 17-inch touchscreen display. “Imagine driving while using your iPad to play music, and look at Google maps. Now imagine your iPad is built into the car and also runs your climate control, phone, and even basic car controls, such as braking, steering, suspension, and sunroof settings. Oh, and it's much bigger than a standard iPad. That's what it's like driving a Tesla” (Evans, 2013). The aesthetics of Tesla's vehicles are unlike ones seen in competitor's luxury cars. For example, the Model S is a sedan available with an option to seat seven passengers. Most vehicles that seat more than five passengers are SUV’s and mini-vans. The purchasing process of the vehicle is also unique because customers can order online and even have the car brought to them for a test drive. Quality service seems to be a priority for the company as much as the quality of their products.
Tesla Motors Incorporated has not only perfected their skill in making a line of electric vehicles that have become one of the most popular EV’s on the market, but also several other products related to eco-friendly transportation. The company also designs and manufactures lithium-ion battery packs, electric motors, gearboxes and components for their own vehicles as well as other competing car manufacturers (DaSilva, 2015). Confidence in the company’s superiority is further reinforced when consumers realize that other car manufacturers are supplied by Tesla's products for their own EV's.
With a proper understanding of what products Tesla offers, one must then explore what is behind the company's success. Great products are made, but not without a vision powerful enough to flourish as Tesla has done since their arrival on the market. Tesla’s vision and mission in creating the most captivating automobile company through leading the way in the world’s adoption of electric vehicles is a powerful force for action. The individual responsible for taking a leap of faith in his investment of Tesla Motors, Elon Musk, former co-founder of PayPal is the driving force behind this extraordinary organization. Regardless of numerous pitfalls in the years since Tesla's entry into the market, Musk remains unwavering in his commitment to seeing his vision through. Not only is Musk the man behind Tesla, but he is also responsible for a cutting edge company, Space X that may be responsible for commercial flights into space. One can begin to formulate that the leadership of the enterprise plays an integral role in their triumph.
With an extensive list of progressive facts about Tesla Motors, Inc. there have to be some challenges that the company faces. The initial financial instability of the company performance has been an area of weakness that critics could point out; however, as a brand new organization in an incredibly competitive industry, one could understand this problem. Increased popularity of the Tesla brand shows a promising future for the automakers.
Another concern brought up against the company has been in regard to safety issues. One of the complaints is on the large touch screen distracting drivers the way smartphones can. Looking away from the road to make adjustments on the touch screen could be hazardous. News of the risk of fire in the vehicles also became a nuisance for the company after a video of an accident of a Model S went viral. The reality was that the driver walked away fine because the vehicle delivered a warning for him to pull over as the fire began and the fire remained in an isolated part near the battery pack (Bartlett, 2013). The fire incident only shows a remarkable degree of planning in the design of these vehicles. Overall, these safety concerns are not problematic for Tesla when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the Model S a 5-star safety rating (Bartlett, 2013).
According to Elon Musk, there is a solid long-term strategy in place to keep Tesla Motors in the market and on the forefront of EV manufacturing. He states that the company has plans to build a broad range of electric vehicles, including affordable family cars (Musk 2006). “The strategy of Tesla is to enter at the high end of the market, where customers are prepared to pay a premium and then drive down market as fast as possible to higher unit volume and lower prices with each successive model” (Musk, 2006).
As 2015 begins and Tesla’s newest model, Model X, the first crossover vehicle by the company is expected to enter volume production (“About Tesla”). The popularity of Tesla's cars, along with what the Tesla Motors organization is planning for the future of the company makes one inclined to believe the brand will have long-term victory in the auto industry. To further reinforce this proclamation, NASDAQ shows healthy growth for the company in a forecast for the next twelve month (“CNN Money”). In conclusion, Tesla Motors has come into the auto industry with a first-rate product, which is revitalizing the hope for American made cars to make a mark on the world once again.

Works Cited

"About Tesla." Tesla Motors. Web. 1 Jan. 2015. <http://www.teslamotors.com/about>.
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panic mode". Consumer Report.org. 2013. 2015. < http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/10/te sla-model-s-fire-sparks-safety-concern/index.htm >
"CNN Money". 2015. < http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=TSLA >
DaSilva, Peter. "Tesla Motors Inc.". New York Times. 2015. <
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Evarts, Eric. "Driving the Tesla Model S is like using an iPad, thanks to leading-edge interior."
Consumer Reports. 2013. 2015. < http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/05/dr iving-the-tesla-model-s-is-like-using-an-ipad-than ks-to-leading-edge-interior/index.htm >
Musk, Elon. "The Secret Tesla Motors Master Plan (just between you and me)". Tesla. 2006.
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Schilling, David Russell. "The Story Behind Tesla Motors’ Mission As Auto Industry
Trailblazer". Industry Tap into News. 2014. < http://www.industrytap.com/story-behind-tesla-moto rs-mission-auto-industry-trailblazer/24795 >