What is Tesla: Definition and 170 Discussions

Tesla, Inc. is an American electric vehicle and clean energy company based in Palo Alto, California. Tesla's current products include electric cars, battery energy storage from home to grid-scale, solar panels and solar roof tiles, as well as other related products and services. In 2020, Tesla had the highest sales in the plug-in and battery electric passenger car segments, capturing 16% of the plug-in market (which includes plug-in hybrids) and 23% of the battery-electric (purely electric) market. Through its subsidiary Tesla Energy, the company develops and is a major installer of solar photovoltaic energy generation systems in the United States. Tesla Energy is also one of the largest global suppliers of battery energy storage systems, with 3 GWh of battery storage supplied in 2020.
Founded in July 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning as Tesla Motors, the company's name is a tribute to inventor and electrical engineer Nikola Tesla. Elon Musk, who contributed most of the funding in the early days, has served as CEO since 2008. According to Musk, the purpose of Tesla is to help expedite the move to sustainable transport and energy, obtained through electric vehicles and solar power. Tesla began production of their first car model, the Roadster, in 2009. This was followed by the Model S sedan in 2012, the Model X SUV in 2015, the higher volume Model 3 sedan in 2017, and the Model Y crossover in 2020. The Model 3 is the world's all-time best-selling plug-in electric car, with more than 800,000 delivered through December 2020. Tesla's global vehicle sales were 499,550 units in 2020, a 35.8% increase over the previous year. In 2020, the company surpassed the 1 million mark of electric cars produced.
Tesla has been the subject of numerous lawsuits and controversies arising from statements and acts of CEO Elon Musk, allegations of creative accounting, allegations of whistleblower retaliation, alleged worker rights violations, and allegedly unresolved and dangerous technical problems with their products.

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  1. jack action

    Tesla starts "full self-driving" beta test - follow-up

    The following thread was opened 3 years ago and is now closed to further replies: https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/tesla-starts-full-self-driving-beta-test.995228/ There is now a new development and it seems to still divide people: So after 3 years of testing, how are we seeing...
  2. cnh1995

    I Neil deGrasse Tyson on Nikola Tesla and electromagnetic energy

    I came across this video where Dr. Tyson talks about Nikola Tesla. Neil Tyson on Tesla. From 4:47 onwards, he says "We now send energy through wires", and talks about how bizarre it would be to walk around/stand in the way of such energy flow. Further he says the power transmission lines are...
  3. R

    "New" theory of human movement as described by Tesla. Right?

    Nikola Tesla, the prominent 20th century inventor, stated in his book "My Inventions" that all human movements appear to come from the will but are are actually generated from the outside. He goes on to say that this phenomenon is of incalculable vale to the human race and he urged further study...
  4. S

    I How do I visualize the magnetic field?

    Hi! So my question is this, I have done measurements with an magnetic field meter around a transformer from 0.5 meter away (then measure some points around) and then I moved out 0.5 meters and so on until I reached a nearby building. So my issue now is I want to visualize this to my customer...
  5. russ_watters

    Tesla": A Movie Review of the Unusual

    Anybody see the movie "Tesla" staring Ethan Hawke? It's...interesting. I'm almost finished with it, but got so angry I had to post this for validation... As historical fiction goes, it seems pretty good. But the movie's style is... unusual. It has a narrator who is JP Morgan's daughter and...
  6. Elementrist

    B Magnetic force driving a small iron ball

    How can I calculate the force from magnetic field of a solenoid, grabbing a small iron ball? I want to use the good old simple F=ma formula in order to calculate the ball's acceleration. But can't find a formula to somehow convert the known field quality (in unit Tesla) to Force (in unit...
  7. anorlunda

    New Tesla DOJO AI architecture

    I'm not qualified to evaluate the performance numbers in this video, but the number of innovations is impressive. I saw another source that speculates that Tesla may become like ARM, licensing this technology to other manufacturers, while it continues to improve it for their internal use...
  8. barryj

    Calculating max acceleration of a Tesla car

    [Mentor Note: Two threads with similar titles merged] First calculate the equivalent force on the car from the max torque. An average tire is 15 inch diameter = about .2 meter radius Since T = F X R , F = T/R = 660/.2 = 3300 Newtons. since F = M X A, A = F/M = 3300/2083 = 1.6 m/sec^2...
  9. Astronuc

    Auto/Motor How can cogging torque be reduced in permanent magnet synchronous motors?

    This Tesla Model S Owner Repairs His Own Car, because after the warranty period expires, you're on your own. Greg Furstenwerth was an early adopter of the Tesla Model S, but once the car was out of warranty he had a hard time getting the parts and service he needed. So he took on the repairs...
  10. CherryB

    How many kWh will a 23MW generator make in 1 year

    If a power plant generates at 23MW, how many kWh will be generated in 1 year? And how many miles could you drive Tesla cars, at highway speeds (70mph), in one year? Thanks
  11. mfb

    News Tesla starts "full self-driving" beta test

    So far it seems to be limited to very few participants. It is SAE level 2 ("hands off"): The car drives itself but a human needs to watch it and needs to be able to take over at any time. Normally the phrase "self-driving" is only used for SAE levels 4 and 5 (you can sleep in the car, or you...
  12. Storm_Eagle

    What is the problem with Tesla turbine Nozzles?

    Hi. I have read about Tesla turbines. What i have found is that it is actually weary little research published on the subject. And as i understand it the main problem with them is the inefficiency in the nozzles used. While the turbine rotor efficiency in it self is really good. But what...
  13. Z

    Tesla cybertruck is it a good electric vehicle

    tesla cybertruck does promise a range of 250 to 500 miles and has 1 - 3 electric motors. Is this a good electric vehicle purely based on just its specs.
  14. P

    Max Power of a Tesla SUV: Solving F(net)=F(app)-F(resistance)

    F(net)=F(app)-F(resistance) ma=F(app)-F(resistance) (1.5*10^3)(16.67)=F(app)-600 25005=F(app)-600 P=ΔE/Δt P=25005/6 P=4167.5 W I got the incorrect answer (because I didn't take into account the resistance?). I am also confused about which Force value to use for the...
  15. BWV

    Reporter Bethany McLean taking on Tesla #TSLAQ

    Bethany McLean, the reporter who took down Enron, has set her sites on Teslahttps://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/08/how-elon-musk-gambled-tesla-to-save-solarcity
  16. Grinkle

    Want to better understand Tesla e-mpg

    From here - https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/39769.shtml I see: 1 gallon of gasoline burned in an internal combustion auto engine will yield 33.7 kWh of usable work - is that what this means? I am trying to get my head around whether e-vehicle use takes more fossil fuel or less...
  17. mariost

    Electrical How Did I Safely Build and Use a Tesla Coil for Entertainment and Education?

    A Tesla coil is an electrical resonant transformer circuit designed by inventor Nikola Tesla in 1891. It is used to produce high-voltage, low-current high frequency alternating-current electricity. Tesla tried to transfer energy with a wireless way. It was really difficult...
  18. Alex Karatzky

    How to optimize spark gap Tesla coils

    My elementary school had its first annual science fair a few weeks ago, so me and my friend signed up and we decided to do it on wireless electricity. So naturally, we built a tesla coil. It took a couple of tries, but we eventually got it to barely illuminate a portion of a fluorescent light...
  19. Alex Karatzky

    How to optimize spark gap Tesla coils?

    My elementary school had its first annual science fair a few weeks ago, so me and my friend signed up and we decided to do it on wireless electricity. So naturally, we built a tesla coil. It took a couple of tries, but we eventually got it to barely illuminate a portion of a fluorescent light...
  20. A

    Misc.  Develop Water Pressure Powered Motor | Tesla, Terry, Vane or Pelton

    Hi I need to develop a water pressure powered motor. .5 hr / 375 watt at aprox. 1000 rpm. The water temp would be at 180 f / 82 c . The water flow 20 GPM / 75 LPM Can please get direction on the best type. Tesla, Terry , vane or Pelton . This is my first post, i appreciate the help thank you
  21. A

    Electrical Why isn’t this Tesla coil working?

    Hello all! I have made a Tesla coil using a proven circuit I found online but what I have made isn’t working here is a picture please help. PS: yes I know it is fairly messy but the specs are as fallows: B50k potentiometer One green 5mm led One 200ohm 1/4 W 5% resistor Primary coil is 8...
  22. J

    How can the Tesla car go up a steep hill without a gearbox?

    I thought electric cars had normal gearboxes like any other vehicle but the following does not. No gear lever. It says at 6:00 that this is because the electric motor's torque is constant no matter the rpm. Presumably it means the maximum torque available is constant for all rpm. What if this...
  23. T

    In layman's terms , how strong is a 3 Tesla Magnet?

    I saw a post where someone was granted access to a 1.5 Tesla MRI. After some research I discovered a 3 Tesla MRI. How strong is this magnet?
  24. Willow Wanda

    Why do Christmas lights glow green near a Tesla coil?

    Homework Statement For a high school physics class, I chose to build a tesla coil for a real world application assignment. I was able to build it fairly easily and it turned out great. Before presenting to the class next week, I've been seeing its effect on different types of light bulbs and...
  25. lekh2003

    The Truth About Nikola Tesla: Separating Fact from Fiction

    I was browsing the forum and it seems to be that Nikola Tesla is a generally unliked and unpreferred guy around here, due to him being overrated and hyped. Is this really true? He seems just like every other physicist and he seems to have done some good work which definitely deserves some hype...
  26. S

    I How bright will Musk's Tesla car be in the sky?

    I wonder if amateur astronomers will be able to see it.
  27. Grands

    News How much physics helped Elon Musk in creating his companies?

    How much physics helped Musk in creating his companies ?
  28. patric44

    Discharging argon gas with a homemade tesla coil

    hello guys i made a small crude tesla coil ( slayer exiter ) and i tried it on multiple gas tubes that i had and i have been able to discharge neon , argon but i have a question : how strong the electric field needed to discharge argon gas ?
  29. M

    I Will a solenoid inside another solenoid increase its strength?

    Will placing a solenoid inside another solenoid increase it's over all strength? While doing research into solenoids I came across the MagLab (The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory) where they place coils one inside another to bolster the field, and reach upwards of 45 Tesla. They use an...
  30. A

    Batteries of the Tesla model S and 3

    Hello! I have a good question to about the possibility of making a descent power output on batteries on tesla model vehicles s and 3. The batteries that are 3 quarters inch long placed in a cell at the bottom of those vehicles. It costs 4 to 5 thousand to replace the cell if damage or not...
  31. L

    Is External Influence the True Source of Human Actions?

    The inventor Tesla stated that all living things' actions appear to come from the will but actually come from the outside. He stated to the effect "we are corks upon the sea". For example you are sitting at your computer and start typing. You don't start typing because you want to but because...
  32. J

    What happens if you use Tesla coil to charge a capacitor?

    I am trying to create a high DC voltage output(with extremely low current output). I thought of something like this. The left coil would be the tesla coil. Can I use this to charge the capacitor and create high DC voltage? What would happen if capacitance was really high?
  33. bbbl67

    How does a variable rate inverter work in a Tesla car?

    So I recently learned that Teslas use AC induction motors rather than DC motors. Now I always assumed that DC motors would be easier to control the speeds of vs. induction motors, so it surprised me that they used an induction motor in the Teslas. Now in my old days I had heard that induction...
  34. C

    Need help doing force calculations with magnetism (between magnets)

    I am trying to calculate the forces (in Newtons) between a permanent magnet, and an electromagnet. All I can find is interactions between permanent magnets, electromagnets, but never both and it is getting really confusing for me to do the calculations. So basically, if I have a permanent...
  35. Rafa_El

    Tesla Coil Questions Answered - Learn More Here!

    So here i am thinking of Tesla coil. I have read that Tesla coil can sustain itself by getting the right "resonance". And I'm wondering how if 2 Tesla coil separated by a magnet based turbin to power the both of it. I read the theory that Tesla coil can amplify the energy because it was based on...
  36. Cool4Kat

    Help Kathy Write a Book on Electricity & Tesla: What's Missing?

    Hi I am writing a book on the history of electricity and I mention Tesla a bit but not a lot. I am worried that Tesla fans will be super angry with me because of it. So, I thought I would ask you nice folks what I should include. I do have a section on the polyphase generator and motor and a...
  37. D

    Cause of multiple paths of electrical breakdown?

    When a voltage gradient across a dielectric becomes too large, the material will break down and become conductive, mostly because of plasma ionization. Thus we get lighning, static electricity fingertip shocks, and tesla coil shows. But often during such breakdowns, there are multiple...
  38. F

    One more question on Tesla coils :)

    Dear Forum, I have recently tried to understand how a Tesla coil works. A Tesla coil seems very similar to a regular transformer. Based on my understanding, a transformer is fundamentally composed of two inductors (with possibly a different number of windings) interlinked by an iron core. A...
  39. F

    Tesla Tower Transmission Question

    Several weeks ago I viewed a PBS program on Tesla - which is always interesting, & I learn new information every time I read or view a program about Tesla. Here is a question that is some what of a mystery - was Tesla trying to transmit power through the ionosphere, the regular (lower)...
  40. J

    How can a Tesla run for so long?

    Forgive my ignorance, I really don't know a lot about this topic. A Tesla Model S has a power of 315 HP (234 kW) and the largest battery they come with is 100 kW*hr. So shouldn't it only be able to run for (100 kW*hr)/(234 kW) = 0.43 Hr? I'm assuming the answer to this is the car doesn't use...
  41. B

    Magnetic field strength over distance

    I want to know how does distance affect the magnetic field of a permanent magnet. I have read about the inverse square law and how it could apply to magnetic fields over growing distances, but doing so, I read about monopoles, which is a new concept to me. So, for the time being, I would like a...
  42. P

    What exactly does the capacitor do in a Tesla coil?

    In all tutorials I have read on tesla coils, they have said to use a capacitor spark-gap configuration, to create a tank circuit. I want to know exactly what this means, and what is its purpose. I am not going to build a Tesla coil, I am nearly just interested in the science of it.
  43. Shadow-Shocker

    Building a musical tesla coil,

    What is the general cost for building a tesla coil. I already have a PVC pipe and wiring, but I know I need a board, power supply, coil, led lights, capacitors, resistors, and semi-conductors, etc. I know there are some things I am missing and I am on a budget. If there are any other supplies...
  44. F

    Are Tesla Coils really special?

    Hello, I have heard so much about Tesla coils in the context of wireless electricity. I think I understand how a transformer works: there are two metal coils, near each other. A time-changing current in the primary coil generate a time changing electromagnetic field that is captured by the...
  45. A

    I need to create a .7+ Tesla electromagnetic solenoid

    I am trying to create a solenoid with a high flux density, but I need the specifications (wire gauge, current applied, etc). The diameter of the core would be preferable around 15mm. The length can be pretty much anything reasonable. I need this for a project that requires a strong repulsive...
  46. muscaria

    Longitudinal waves and vector potentials.

    Hello, I was wondering if anybody knew of any material (books, papers etc..) which considers a possible connection between longitudinal waves and vector potentials, at least mathematically. I have been scouting about, but failed to find anything substantial. I understand that there seems to be...
  47. Blackhawk4560

    Calculating Vectors (in Joules) of an electromagnet

    Good afternoon, Question: Say I have an electromagnet at a 45 degree incline from an electron beam. This electromagnet is exerting 0.75 Tesla on the beam. How can I calculate the vector that the electromagnet will exert on a particle? Note, this is for my own curiosity, not for any homework...
  48. C

    I Another 'Gravity Battery' Question

    Hi All, this question has been thrown around before but never fully answered so I'll put it very simply and cut out the ponderings: A 'gravity battery' could be created by using an energy source to slowly lift a large weight (using gearing or pulleys), then discharged by lowering the weight to...
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