Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future

Chapter 7 focuses on J.B. Straubel, a key figure in Tesla Motors and a pioneer in electric vehicle technology. Straubel’s early fascination with engineering and experimentation, which included building a chemistry lab in his family’s basement and converting a golf cart into an electric vehicle, laid the foundation for his later achievements. He attended Stanford University, where he created a custom major in energy systems and engineering. Despite a brief detour into hybrid vehicle technology and an electric plane project, Straubel’s passion for electric cars solidified after he converted a Porsche into an electric vehicle (EV), achieving a world record for EV acceleration.

Straubel’s interest in electric vehicles led him to meet Elon Musk in 2003, facilitated by Harold Rosen. Straubel’s work with lithium-ion batteries intrigued Musk, who was already contemplating electric cars. Straubel and Musk’s shared vision for an electric car company materialized into Tesla Motors. At the same time, Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning were independently exploring electric vehicles, inspired by advancements in lithium-ion batteries. They founded Tesla Motors in July 2003, focusing on creating a high-performance, luxury electric car.

Innovative ideas and substantial challenges marked Tesla’s early days. The company faced skepticism from investors and the automotive industry, given the complexities of building a car company from scratch.