The company filed a registration statement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, outlining its plans to sell stock on a US exchange. The offering price, timing of the stock sale, ticker symbol and specific exchange were not disclosed in the company's filing.

Underwriting the IPO are Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan and Deutsche Bank Securities.

Tesla, which has one of the more recognizable brands in the all-electric vehicle market, makes the Tesla Roadster, introduced in 2008.