Tesla and the Electric Revival

What happened

In 2006 a Silicon Valley startup called Tesla Motors announced a luxury electric sports car able to travel more than 200 miles on a single charge; its Roadster reached customers in 2008. Tesla's success pushed established carmakers to accelerate their own electric vehicles, and by the 2010s models such as the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt were bringing EVs to the mass market.

Why it matters

Tesla helped turn the electric car from a niche curiosity into the widely expected future of the automobile — closing a circle back to the electric cars of 1900.

Sources

• U.S. Department of Energy. The History of the Electric Car · Reputable source