That could have been the name of the e-car manufacturer
The Tesla logo and lettering are iconic today, and the name stands for the triumph of electromobility like no other. But the electric cars could have been built under a different name, as Elon Musk reveals. There’s more to the story of how Tesla became Tesla.
From Faraday to Tesla: How the e-car manufacturer got its name
Tesla is an absolute success story in many ways. The e-car pioneer from the USA has grown enormously in just a few years and at times has become the most valuable car manufacturer in the world. Before that, however, you could practically only refer to two things: a hip vision of the future (with the associated technology) and a strong brand. Anyone who hears the name Tesla today usually immediately thinks of electric cars and only much later of the researcher Nikola Tesla, after they have named themselves.
The decision to use the name “Tesla Motors Inc.” was not a sure-fire success. Another name was under discussion, as Tesla boss Elon Musk recently explained. Accordingly, the plan was always to name itself after a well-known inventor. Alternative namesake was Michael Faraday, today best known as the namesake of the Faraday cage. He is also considered to be one of the inventors of the electric motor, while Nikola Tesla is credited with being one of the inventors of the three-phase machine – a special form of electric motor – (in both cases many developments took place simultaneously, which is why it is difficult to pin down just one author today).
Like Nikola Tesla, “Faraday” – the alternative name of today’s electric car manufacturer – is a big name in the history of science. But why did it even need an alternative name? The reason is simple: The Rights to the Tesla Motors name had already been granted, as Musk reveals in a video:
The Tesla name cost Tesla $75,000
Accordingly, a man from Sacramento in California had previously secured the rights. According to Musk, the possibility for Tesla to be able to call itself Tesla cost the company $75,000 – and some nerves, because the rights holder originally did not want to sell. “I sent the friendliest guy in the company to sit on his doorstep and not leave until he agreed to sell to us,” according to the Tesla boss.
The question of whether Tesla would have been so successful under the Faraday name cannot of course be answered. As big and important as the name is, there is more to the company and its e-cars.
