Tesla, Inc. is an American electric vehicle (EV) and clean energy company based in Palo Alto, California. Founded in 2003 by a group of engineers, including Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, the company's mission is to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy. Elon Musk, the CEO and one of the most well-known figures associated with Tesla, joined the company in 2004 as an investor and chairman, and later became the CEO in 2008.