I don't like the narrative that they are responsible for what other companies are doing. My grandpa had an electric car back in the 90s. A toyota, I think, so it's not small no-name companies. People have been working on this since before tesla, and are still working on it outside tesla. But the time is right for the technology to take off now, so it is. Attributing that to tesla seems like a misguided belief in "great man theory" where it's usually just that the environment was finally right for an idea. If tesla hadn't, someone else would.
I get frustrated by instances of great man theory in general, though. It's not unique to tesla.
I get frustrated by instances of great man theory in general, though. It's not unique to tesla.