Tesla Motors
Martin Eberhard is the Co-Founder, President of Technology, and former CEO of Tesla Motors, a company that produces the Tesla Roadster, a battery-powered electric sportscar. Martin brings with him 20 years of start-up, management, and development experience from his time as co-founder of NuvoMedia and Network Computing Devices. At NuvoMedia, Martin helped create the market for electronic books with the 1998 launch of the Rocket eBook. As Chief Engineer of Network Computing Devices, Martin spearheaded the development of X Window-based network terminals for Wyse Technology, where he began his career as an electrical engineer at Wyse Technology. There he designed his first product, the WY-30 ASCII computer terminal.
Martin received his bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering and Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Martin lives in both Northern and Southern California with his college sweetheart, Carolyn, and their two children, along with an old Siamese cat.
Related Links: www.teslamotors.com/media/company_team.php
Last Updated: Wed, Nov 28, 2007
| Category | Title | Author/Speaker | Organization | Length | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video | Alternative Energy for the Electric Car | Martin Eberhard | Tesla Motors | 00:28 | 11/2007 |
| Video | Building - and Deconstructing - Teams | Martin Eberhard | Tesla Motors | 00:31 | 11/2007 |
| Video | Do Something Meaningful | Martin Eberhard | Tesla Motors | 01:05 | 11/2007 |
| Podcast | Lessons from the Electric Roadster | Martin Eberhard | Tesla Motors | 55:21 | 10/2007 |
Martin Eberhard discusses the shortfalls of using Solar Energy as a key component in manufacturing a car. He believes that using fuel-cells to drive cars is a huge stretch in imagination. He finally notes that a mix of plug-in hybrid and gasoline is a viable idea for an interim solution for alternative energy sources to drive a car.
Martin Eberhard, co-founder of Tesla Motors, points out that adding team members is just as important as letting them go. If a player is not a good fit, don't hesitate to remove them from the mix. Eberhard also points out the necessary characteristics for A-players, including passion, enthusiasm, and experience.
Martin Eberhard talks about his first lesson - Do Something Meaningful. Martin believed that he would be successful only he worked on something that he really cared about. He believed that providing a solution to oil consumption was an issue that needed attention. He talks about how he began his journey by building a solution to this immensely important world economic problem.
Martin Eberhard is the Co-Founder, President of Technology and former CEO of Tesla Motors, a company that produces the Tesla Roadster, a battery-powered electric sports car. Eberhard discusses his inspiring journey of diverse experiences in building Tesla Motors. He describes the lessons he learned: from the realization of doing something meaningful to thinking an idea through and aggressively following all leads. Tesla Motors which started with two employees is now more than 250 employees strong.