If You Invested $1,000 In Tesla Stock The Last Time Elon Musk Was At Detroit Auto Show, Here's How Much You'd Have Today

After eight years away, electric vehicle (EV) giant Tesla Inc TSLA is making its return to the Detroit Auto Show.

Here’s a look back at the last time Tesla and CEO Elon Musk made an appearance at the show and how much the stock has returned for investors.

What Happened: The Austin, Texas-based company has been praised for its production and delivery increases over the years. While Tesla has continued to lead the way in many aspects of the automotive sector, it is also notorious for skipping out on many automotive shows.

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The company recently unveiled its Tesla Model 3 Highland Refresh at an auto show in Germany and is making its return to the Detroit Auto Show (Sept. 13 to Sept. 24) this week.

Tesla will show off its EVs at the show with participation in an indoor track ride-along activation. The company will also offer ride-and-drives outside Huntington Place on a street course, as one of two companies alongside Ford Motor Company F to make this offering to the public.

In 2015, Musk also spoke at the event and said his goal was to make EVs and help the world.

“The main reason I’m here is to talk about electric vehicles and to do what I can to encourage other automakers to accelerate their electric-vehicle programs. The need for sustainable transport is incredibly high,” Musk said, as reported by Business Insider.

Musk told the audience that he launched Tesla because “there were no great electric cars.”

The Tesla CEO praised the progress being made by other automotive companies in exploration of more electric vehicles.

“I think that’s great. I hope to see a lot more of that.”

Musk also highlighted the company’s Model X vehicle, which was set to be unveiled at a later time.

“This car is really good. I don’t say these things lightly," he said.

Other big players in the sector were also there. Ford showed off its F-150 Raptor and General Motors Company GM unveiled a first look at its Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle concept car.

In 2016, Tesla was set to appear at the event, but dropped out due to a law on direct car sales in the state of Michigan.

Investing $1,000 in Auto Stocks: An investor who invested $1,000 in Tesla stock on Jan. 13, 2015, when Musk spoke at the Detroit Auto Show could have purchased 73.42 shares based on a split adjusted price of $13.62.

The $1,000 investment would be worth $19,790.36 today, based on a price of $269.55 for Tesla at the time of writing. The investment would be up 1,879.0% over the last eight plus years.

For comparison, the same $1,000 invested in other automotive companies would not have performed as well.

A $1,000 investment in Ford stock on the same date would be worth $1,281.95 today, representing a return of 28.2%.

A $1,000 investment in General Motors stock on the same date would be worth $1,205.90, representing a return of 20.6%.

The return of Tesla since the 2015 date has also outperformed the broader stock market, when using the S&P 500 for comparison.

A $1,000 investment in the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY on Jan. 13, 2015 would be worth $2,574.29 today. This represents a return of 157.4% over the same time period.

While there’s no guarantee that Tesla stock will produce the same returns and outperform other auto stocks going forward, the company’s presence at the Detroit Auto Show should not be underestimated. Tesla does not spend aggressively on traditional advertising or take part in auto shows like its rivals.

Tesla’s inclusion and its test drive events could create more brand awareness and lead to more potential customers.

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