In 2018, Tesla teetered on the edge of bankruptcy, with analysts and industry giants like Mercedes and BMW dismissing the electric car company as a doomed venture. Experts predicted its collapse, citing production woes and financial strain. Yet, Elon Musk, Tesla’s visionary CEO, defied the odds with relentless determination, transforming the company into a global powerhouse. His hands-on approach, living in the factory and working tirelessly, stunned the world and reshaped the automotive industry, as celebrated by fans on X.

By mid-2018, Tesla faced a cash crunch, with losses mounting and Model 3 production lagging. Bloomberg reported the company was burning through $1 billion per quarter, while skeptics mocked Musk’s ambitious goals. “Tesla will be bankrupt in months,” one analyst told Forbes. Rivals like BMW scoffed, with executives reportedly viewing Tesla as a fleeting experiment. Undeterred, Musk moved into Tesla’s Fremont factory, sleeping on the floor and diving into every aspect of production. “I was fixing machines, coding, calling partners at 3 a.m.,” he later told The Wall Street Journal. His all-in approach galvanized the team.

Musk’s grit paid off. By Q3 2018, Tesla delivered 83,500 vehicles, including 55,840 Model 3s, surpassing expectations and achieving profitability, per Tesla’s earnings report. The turnaround silenced critics, with X posts erupting: “Elon proved them all wrong!” and “Tesla’s rise is legendary.” Musk’s strategy—streamlining production, cutting costs, and scaling output—outmaneuvered traditional automakers. By 2020, Tesla’s market cap soared past $800 billion, dwarfing BMW and Mercedes, who scrambled to catch up with their own EV lines.

The turnaround wasn’t without controversy. Musk’s intense leadership style drew scrutiny, with reports of grueling work hours, as noted by Business Insider. Yet, his vision for sustainable energy and relentless execution won over investors and fans. Tesla’s Gigafactory in Shanghai, opened in 2019, further solidified its global dominance, producing over 700,000 vehicles annually by 2025, per Reuters. Musk’s gamble also paved the way for innovations like the Cybertruck and advancements in autonomous driving, keeping Tesla ahead.

Today, Tesla stands as a symbol of resilience, with Musk’s 2018 factory stint now legendary. Fans on X continue to celebrate, with one writing, “Elon lived in the factory to save Tesla—that’s real leadership.” From the brink of failure to a $1.2 trillion valuation in 2025, Musk’s story proves that vision, paired with unyielding effort, can defy even the bleakest predictions.