Electric car Delco. These early cars were eventually withdrawn from the U.S. market. California electric automaker Tesla Motors began development in 2004 on what would become the Tesla Roadster (2008), which was first delivered to customers in 2008. The Roadster was the first highway legal serial production all-electric car to use lithium-ion battery cells, and the first production all-electric car to travel more than per charge. Tesla global sales passed 250,000 units in September 2017. The Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance achieved the milestone of 500,000 units electric vehicles sold in October 2017. Tesla sold its 200,000th Model S in the fourth quarter of 2017.
Cars in the 1920s Colorado championship race with his Model T, named "Old Liz." It was compared to a tin can due to its lack of paint and hood, which gave the car its nickname, "Tin Liz." Its sturdiness and speed led to its winning of the race against all other expensive cars of the time. From that point on, "Tin Lizzie" became the name for all Model T cars, as its win was reported in newspapers throughout the country. This further popularized Ford cars, as well as the sport of auto racing. Auto racing eventually led to the development of NASCAR. At the