Tesla: Tarpening and Eberhard along with Musk’s cash changed the world. GM was a half hearted effort to please some politicians, as evidenced by leasing a few, and in the end destroying them all.
In the end it worked because he put in even more money and was on the right side of history in regards to Lithium-Ion battery evolution.
I would also say that JB Straubel was CTO when they designed the LiIon battery backs and made them safe enough to use.
Tesla is a study in basically doing everything wrong except having the general right idea for the future, Li-battery electric car. Its pretty clear they had no experience with cars or manufacturing.
Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.