Tesla on Saturday marked the 15th anniversary of its stock-market debut, a milestone that underscores both the electric-car maker’s meteoric rise and its current challenges. The company went public on June 29 2010 at $17 a share, becoming the first U.S. automaker to list since Ford. Shares now trade near $324, a gain of almost 28,600%, or close to 300-fold, turning an initial $10,000 stake into roughly $3 million. Under Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk, Tesla has evolved from a single-model niche manufacturer into one of the world’s most valuable companies, briefly topping a $1 trillion market capitalization in 2021. Sales of the Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover, along with lucrative regulatory-credit revenue, have driven the expansion, while factories on three continents have lifted annual revenue to nearly $100 billion. The stock’s long-term performance masks heightened volatility and a tougher backdrop in 2025. TSLA is down about 20% this year as slowing electric-vehicle demand, intensifying competition from Chinese rivals and investor unease over Musk’s foray into U.S. politics weigh on sentiment. Brand-valuation firm Brand Finance estimates Tesla’s brand value fell 26% last year, and European registrations have declined for five straight months. Future gains may depend on whether Musk can deliver on new businesses beyond car sales. Earlier this month Tesla started a limited robotaxi pilot in Austin and reiterated plans to deploy humanoid robots in its factories by late 2025. Analysts say commercializing those technologies—and regaining regulatory goodwill—will be critical as the company enters its next decade on the public markets.