Elon Musk discussing Tesla IPO
(Photo : Reuters)

Tesla IPO is now worth 347 dollars, but you may be surprised at how low it was first offered nine years ago.

According to The Motley Fool, the company went public in 2010 and its share price was a mere 17 dollars. Considering the price today, it is safe to say Tesla has vastly improved as a company. Back then, the concept of cars running on electricity was just a vision and critics never expected it to take off. Now, other companies are producing their own electric cars, scrambling to gain a piece of the market share of rechargeable cars. 

Tesla first launched the Roadster as a concept car and followed it with Model S, Model X and its most successful vehicle, the Model 3. What made the Tesla Model 3 popular is its competitive price tag at 35,000 dollars, which made it a more appealing and reasonable to buy for the general public. The company worked hard in bringing the prices down so more people could afford it.

In terms of future plans, the company is not done yet. In the pipeline awaits the unveiling of Tesla pickup named Cybertruck scheduled for later this month. The Verge reported that the inspiration behind the design came from the movie Blade Runner. The truck features a futuristic design which could be polarizing to truck fans. The official images of the vehicle are not yet released to the public but murky images were leaked as a teaser. 

The pickup truck segment has a lot of potential in the US market. Aside from its practical use for business, the typical big truck has not lost its appeal to American motorists. Tesla is set to compete with Ford F-150 and GM in this segment. 

The Tesla Cybertruck price is estimated at less than 50,000 dollars. When compared to other Tesla cars, Model 3's price of 39,400 dollars and Model S's 79,990 dollars and the Model Y crossover SUV's 48,000 dollars, the pickup truck is in the middle of the price range of the company fleet. 

The stock had momentum in the past three months, with gains of over 45 percent. Even if Tesla often misses production deadlines and targets, it shows that despite those shortcomings, the public is still excited to see what is going to happen next. 

Tesla owner Elon Musk has carved his way in the industry and cemented his reputation as one of the best as a brilliant and forward-thinking businessman in this generation, but his progress is not without challenges. Tesla and Uber have drawn flak in the Senate after NHTSA acting chief James Owens labels it unsafe. Per CNBC News, Musk's car company allegedly uses tricks to make it appear their cars are safe to use.

"Tesla drivers have identified a variety of tricks to make Autopilot believe they are focused on the road even if they are literally asleep at the wheel," Senator Ed Markey claims.

Still, Musk remains defiant in his beliefs and vision. Investopedia reports that Musk was always experimenting when he was young. It looks like he has not lost that quality. Tesla is now bigger than Ford, General Motors and BMW. The electric car company has come a long way and it is not stopping anytime soon.