Anyone Googling the phrase "Tesla failed" is immediately inundated with the purported shortcomings of the multinational automotive and clean energy company's zero-emission, electric vehicles, workplace culture, business practices, occupational safety and, especially, its controversial Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk. In times like these, it's appropriate to recall what Gertrude tells her son Hamlet in Shakespeare's most famous play: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."
When it comes to Tesla Inc., such criticism is little more than a sideshow. No other carmaker comes close to matching its performance, which includes posting record revenue each year since it began reporting financial results in 2007. With a stock market value of $659 billion as of Friday, Tesla is worth more than Toyota Motor Co., Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Volkswagen AG, BMW AG, General Motors Co., Stellantis NV and Ford Motor Co. combined.