Tesla vs Ford vs GM Since 2015: The EV Revolution, Priced Out
TSLA · F · GM · Since 2015 · $1,000 split across each
This comparison puts Tesla's return since 2015 next to the two legacy US automakers it is most often measured against, Ford and GM.
The chart tells a clean story in two halves: a slow 2015 to 2019 where Tesla merely doubled while Ford ended lower and GM rose far less, and a 2020 to 2021 vertical move where Tesla rose about 11x on monthly closes in under two years.
What the chart shows
Ford and GM finished well behind Tesla and the S&P 500
GM finished the window well ahead of Ford, and both finished behind Tesla and behind the S&P 500 over the same period.
Tesla's re-rating happened in 18 months
From March 2020 to November 2021, Tesla rose about 11x on monthly closes. That single window drove the overwhelming majority of the decade's return. Investors who held through the 2022 drawdown watched about two thirds of the value disappear, then recovered.
The 2022 Tesla drawdown was about two thirds
Peak to trough on monthly closes, Tesla fell from roughly $382 to $123 (split-adjusted). Investors who entered late in 2021 needed three full years to get back to even. Entry point determines the Tesla story.
Ford tried an EV pivot, with mixed results
Ford's F-150 Lightning and Mach-E launches came during a 2021 rally that lifted the stock to its best level in a decade. By 2024 most of that gain had unwound.
GM is the quietest story
GM sits between Ford and Tesla in this group: well ahead of Ford over the window, well behind Tesla, and behind the S&P 500. Its worst peak-to-trough drop was smaller than Ford's.
Frequently asked questions
What about total return including dividends?
Ford and GM both pay meaningful dividends (typically 3 to 6 percent yield). Returns on this page are adjusted for splits and dividends, so those payouts are already counted. Tesla pays no dividend.
Should I have bought Tesla in 2020 or sold it in 2021?
This is not financial advice, but the interactive calculator at /calculator/ can show the Tesla return from any month in this window. A March 2020 entry held to the November 2021 peak produced roughly 11x. An entry at that peak held to the December 2022 low produced about -68 percent.
What about Rivian and Lucid?
Both IPO'd in 2020 and 2021 and do not have a 2015 comparable. A dedicated comparison page for EV startups is on our roadmap. For now, /calculator/?t=RIVN and /calculator/?t=LCID will show their individual paths.
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For informational and educational purposes only. Not financial advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. All calculations are based on split-adjusted closing prices from Yahoo Finance and do not account for dividends, taxes, or trading fees. See our methodology and full disclaimer.