Originally Posted by Daruma

I give these guys quite a bit of credit - actually spoke with them for a while...
take a look at their $$ source.. paypal.. etc..

Elon Musk (Chairman)
Elon Musk has been the primary funding source for Tesla Motors, from when Tesla Motors was just three people and a business plan to present day, having led the Series A, Series B and co-led the Series C. Electric vehicles have long been one of Elon's primary interests, stemming from his days in the early nineties working on high energy density capacitor technology in Silicon Valley.

Elon is known for co-founding PayPal and Zip2 and founding SpaceX. The latter company is in the business of developing and launching the world's most advanced rockets for satellite and later human transportation. As Chairman of the Board of Tesla Motors, Elon helps develop the company's business and product strategy, and assists with knowledge of composite and metallic structures, domestic manufacturing and navigating federal regulations.