Tesla

It's almost impossible to separate the audacious reality of Tesla, elevating the EV from an unsexy commuter appliance to a powerful and luxurious statement of success, from its indomitable founder, Elon Musk. The company, like the founder, thrives on publicity that raises the profile of the whole enterprise. The Model S was tipping point, since the earlier Roadster was a niche product, providing serious real-world range and a huge network of ultra-fast chargers; accomplishments no full-line automakers have fully rivaled to date. The Model X SUV with its novel falcon doors came next, and more recently, the Model 3. As of this writing, the Model 3 is in limited production and is experiencing some quality-control hiccups. If Model 3 production can ramp up as Musk expects, Telsa is poised to perhaps secure its future. Whatever Tesla's fate, its meteoric rise as a purveyor of fast, green American sedans and SUVs has been incredible.