A Tesla Model X prototype, due for mass production later this year. Source: Tesla Motors.

Tesla Motors (TSLA 12.06%) is a disruptive game changer.

The electric-car company is on pace to deliver 35,000 vehicles in 2014, expects to grow a huge market in China over the next few years, and plans to become profitable for the long haul this year.

No fewer than five Motley Fool newsletter services have bought or recommended Tesla shares. But it's also a hugely controversial stock, with just two CAPS stars out of five and 27% of its float sold short as of the end of May.

Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk has a history of winning big. He made millions when eBay (EBAY -0.14%) bought out his PayPal online payment system. Then he took the eBay windfall and invested it all in Tesla and SpaceX.

Musk is making billions in Tesla shares now and millions more from his investment in SolarCity (SCTY.DL), not to mention the way he's making history through the SpaceX program.

All of these details help make Tesla the attractive stock it is today, but it took one final push to make Motley Fool analyst Anders Bylund buy his first shares in the automaker.

Find out the five tastiest ingredients to Tesla's special sauce in the slideshow below, including the one radical move that finally triggered Bylund's itchy "buy" finger.