My recollection is the Leaf and Volt were selling in numbers while the Tesla Roadster was a less practical, low volume novelty.

The Leaf and Volt were compliance cars. The Tesla Roadster was “make it work” in “make it work, make it right, make it fast.”

Note Nissan and GM’s EV offerings today, considering how long they had since then.

(early TSLA investor after a ride in the Roadster)

Nonsense. “Compliance car” is used for vehicles produced in low numbers for one regulatory market (CA). That does not describe either.

Compliance car also implies it was the government, not Tesla, dragging them along.

No idea what you’re referring to. Nissan and GM still sell EV’s.

Tesla for all its contributions did not force other automakers into the market.