[dkyc]

According to public sources Tesla has raised 'only' 60.5m before delivering the first roadsters in February 2008. Though that total increased to 100.5m by the summer of that year. But I get your point.

[0]: https://www.startupranking.com/startup/tesla/funding-rounds

[brucethemoose2]

The original roadster was a Lotus Elise with laptop batteries. It was essentially a prototype, albeit a production prototype.

[mushufasa]

and it kicked ass

[brucethemoose2]

Indeed. But partially because the Lotus Elise kicked ass :P