Pronunciation

[LukeT]

What say you?

 

[TestPilot]

More S than Z but somewhere in between?

 

[ProfessorK]

Froot

 

[Grummi3]

Tessla. Serbian friend confirms this is the correct way to say the surname of Nikola Tesla, & I presume there's a connection....

 

[Fullerene]

I interchange both, no idea why...

Phonetically it should be tes-luh (IPA it’s ˈtɛslə) with a soft s rather than z.

Given the trademarkable, searchable & impossible to pronounce names of
most cars these days, Tesla or Tezla is all good.

 

[Jetson Jones]

I always called it tessla until I was on hold for that long I was brain washed into saying tezla, but when I do say tezla it just sounds wrong so still non the wiser.

 

[LukeT]

More S than Z but somewhere in between?

Well put I think. That's about where I am. I pondered the question because folk I meet seem to be more Z than S. I thought my S sound might've come from watching too many Americans on You Tube.

On a quick Google it seems Elon Musk is a Z man:
With a Single, Hilarious Tweet, Elon Musk Shows You're Probably Pronouncing 'Tesla' Completely Wrong

Tessla. Serbian friend confirms this is the correct way to say the surname of Nikola Tesla, & I presume there's a connection....

... but I think I'll stick with your Serbian friend.

 

[Rooster6655]

Depends on what continent you are on!

 

[anon37485]

I've always said Tezla, my wife says Tesla. It's an effort for me to say Tesla now.

 

[james_power]

This is one of those things that really winds me up when I hear people, particularly you-tubers, using a Z in tesla.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Don't ask Elon Musk, ask one of the people who created the company.

 

[interbear]

I currently pronounce it "Where the F*** is my car?". I think I'm in a reasonably sized contingent of like minded people on this forum.

 

[davidmc]

Japanese have the best pronunciation for it

テスラ
Tesura

 

[Yev000]

My co-workers/relatives pronounce it "did you get your car yet?" and I pronounce it as "no"

However, when they do mention the T word, it's always with an s.