Tesla Motors [NASDAQ: TSLA] plays a pivotal role in the history (and future) of the electric car. Sputnik News reports, "The much-hyped unveiling of the Tesla Model 3, with hundreds of thousands of pre-orders in just three weeks, prompted many to suggest that electric vehicles are the future of our transportation; however, as it turns out, the concept of electric vehicles is just a resuscitation of a long-dormant method of commuting.” And looking ahead, electric vehicles could grow to "6.6 million [car sales] per year — worldwide by 2020" as forecasted by Navigant Research.