AP Photo/Paul Sakuma
Thank you, Daimler.
Five years and $29 billion of market cap later, Daimler is now selling off that stake, which for financial reasons has been reduced to 4%.
Daimler will make $780 million on the transaction - but not bail out on Tesla's future.
"Our partnership with Tesla is very successful and will be continued," said Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Daimler's chief, in a statement.
Tesla's tie-up with Daimler was extraordinarily useful for the electric carmaker at a time when many observers of the auto industry thought Musk's company didn't stand a chance. Daimler provided investment and acted as a customer, using Tesla's drivetrain technology when Musk was still selling only a two-seat, high-performance Roadster.
Tesla needed support to stay in business and get its next vehicle, the Model S sedan, into production. It also needed to prove to the Department of Energy that the company was viable, in order to obtain a nearly $465-million loan guarantee.
Since it's IPO in 2010, a year after Daimler bought in, Tesla has seen its share price skyrocket by over 1,000%. Shares closed on Tuesday at $235.