An in-depth review of a 2008 Tesla Roadster and its very analog interior shows how far Tesla has come in 14 years
James Leynse/Corbis via Getty Images
- A YouTube review of a 2008 Tesla Roadster shows how much the carmaker has evolved in 14 years.
- Tesla's first model was a tiny sports car that was built off a Lotus Elise.
- Since Tesla went public in 2010, the car company's value has soared over 26,000%.
A recent review of Tesla's first car model from YouTuber Marques Keith Brownlee, also known as MKBHD, highlights how Elon Musk has helped transform the car brand from a fledgling startup to the top electric-car maker in the US.
"This is the most analog electric car I have ever sat in," MKBHD said. "It's basically a peek behind the curtain into what made electric cars interesting over gas cars."
Musk became Tesla's CEO in 2008. The same year, the automaker released the Tesla Roadster which was built on the chassis of a Lotus Elise — a tiny British sports car that Tesla remade into an electric car with a lithium-ion battery.
The car had just over a 240-mile range and sold for around $100,000. Tesla produced fewer than 2,500 Roadsters between 2008 and 2012. Today, the cars have become top collectors items and have sold individually for over $200,000.
Since the electric-car maker went public in 2010, Tesla's value has soared more than 26,000%. Meanwhile, Teslas have become sleeker, faster, and even cheaper. The first Tesla was a little rough around the edges, as MKBHD points out. It didn't have Tesla's signature door handles, key fob, or giant screen.
"It's not designed to be comfortable," MKBHD said in the video, as he struggled to get into the tiny car. "It's a fun piece to drive for a little while."