Tesla Gets $30 Million, Forms Electric Car Trinity

Tesla hasn't been able to sell many of its $100,000 all-electric Roadsters, but it still got a new investment recently.

Panasonic announced yesterday that it will broaden its ties with Tesla, buying a 2 percent share in the company at a cost of $30 million. Though the deal isn't earth-shattering in size, it has drawn new attention to an emerging green car alliance between two of the world's largest corporations and a young EV startup that has sold just 1,300 vehicles in its seven-year history.

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The helpful chart below (source here) shows the ties between Tesla, Toyota, and Panasonic.

Lots of commentators have predicted Tesla's demise based on the small market for its super-expensive sports car, but that ignores the fact that it can also make a business out of simply licensing its technology to these established companies. And it certainly seems to be moving in that direction.