Tesla Takes Investors on Another Joy Ride

Tesla Motors of Palo Alto makes electric cars, and it's the first American automobile company to go public since the Ford Motor Company started selling shares in 1956. After yesterday's Initial Public Offering, Tesla stock surged from $17 to a peak of $30, and closed today around $24. Tesla now makes a $109,000 electric Roadster, and plans to mass-produce a luxury model priced at $50,000, but it could be a long time before the company turns a profit.