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Some commentators believe this marks a complete shelving of the Model 2 plan. The vehicle would have required a move away from the traditional assembly lines. In a call with investors, the Tesla boss Elon Musk clarified that this would probably mean production starting “by early 2025, if not late this year”. It’s important to be detail-oriented and truly care about the craft, just as much as being humble and friendly.
Apple engineer killed in Tesla car operating in driverless mode
Ten years later, in 2018, Model-3 by Tesla was named the world’s best-selling plug-in electric car for the year. The Model 3 has been due for a refresh, remaining mostly-unchanged since its original release in 2017. I've probably talked to car designers more than I've talked to anyone else in the automotive profession.
Tesla shares under pressure after carmaker announces price cuts
To a one, they're impressive, but von Holzhausen is at another level. And regardless, Tesla had to start selling a more versatile lineup of vehicles. While a snazzy two-seater was fun to drive and thrilling to look at — more so when you realized you were running only on electrons — people wanted to buy sedans and SUVs. The company had to first create an exciting electric car that would change the impressions that EVs were glorified golf carts. That car would be sold at a high price to early adopters and fans of high-performance, exotic sports cars.
How Tesla capitalized on Cybertruck’s attention
The 6 worst Tesla Cybertruck design fails - Creative Bloq
The 6 worst Tesla Cybertruck design fails.
Posted: Sat, 27 Apr 2024 06:00:00 GMT [source]
The real success of the company lies in the fact that they do not stop innovating once they reach their goals. They keep trying new ways which can prove to be beneficial for the customers. Before the 2019 event, Musk had given glimpses of various Cybertruck design influences, attributing inspiration to films like Bladerunner and The Spy Who Loved Me, where vehicles showcased sharply angled fronts and wedge shapes. Led by Franz Von Holzhausen, Tesla takes design innovation up a notch.
Tesla Cybertruck launched and now in showrooms
The new 8-inch screen includes access to adjustable climate controls, music, or even entertainment apps like Netflix, YouTube, and Disney Plus. As Tesla continues to move forward, he'll be even more admired for his unique ideas not just about what cars should look like, but how they should make our lives better. With efficiency, von Holzhausen had a concept that could inform not just the design of the Model S sedan but also the entire, evolving Tesla brand. I recently got the chance to speak with von Holzhausen and he shared some details about how he came to join Tesla and what guides his design philosophy.
Top 9 Design Thinking Books in 2024
They are even moving into other forms of design, as they recently launched their own branded tequila which comes in a specially designed bottle shaped like a lightning bolt—a symbol for the company’s electric cars. It is a hand-blown glass bottle that comes with an angular metal stand that holds the tip of the bottle. Tesla has just announced the first major redesign of the Model S since it launched the electric sedan in 2012. It capitalised on its disruptive technology that moves away from traditional norms, slowly but surely gaining its success and making its way to replace the prevalent mainstream market. When von Holzhausen joined Tesla in 2008, the company was contending with a near-bankruptcy.
Though many designers criticise their interface, it is one of the first cars to introduce features that make driving a little more comfortable and lighter. They look at developing software functionality every few weeks allowing the user to enjoy variability indulging a more tech-savvy generation and making an impression that is valued more socially. The new Model S starts at $79,990 for a “Long Range” dual-motor version that gets 412 miles of range. Or people can spend $119,000 for one with the new, more powerful “Plaid” powertrain that goes 390 miles with that sub-2 second 0–60 time.

More efficiency = more range
Even my early Model 3 (VIN ~2500) has been mostly free of problems (except for the stinky feet air conditioning issue – it remains to be seen if Tesla has finally solved this with Highland, but we sure hope they have). Tesla says that the refreshed Model 3 will have longer range, rated at 344 miles WLTP for the SR RWD version, and 421 miles WLTP for the LR, both with 18″ aero wheels. These numbers are an 11-12% improvement from WLTP ratings for the current Model 3. To be honest, although it looks spectacular, it isn't always as functional as what you experience in vehicles that have retained knobs, switches, and buttons.
On Tuesday, the company’s share price shot up by 12% after an update revealed the carmaker was hoping to accelerate the production of lower-priced EVs, with production of the first cars beginning as early as this year. Yes, Tesla has been in the process of building vehicles that have self-driving capabilities, and these cars are being put through rigorous testing to ensure ultimate safety. At present, Tesla’s sedans are at a Level 2 out of the Level 5 autonomy, where the cars still require manual interventions during their operation.

A lot of experts figured Tesla would be out of business in a few years, as the cost of launching new vehicles killed the company. The new Model S has some light updates to the exterior of the car, including a standard large glass roof, but the biggest visual change is inside. Tesla has axed the portrait touchscreen in favor of one more like what’s found in the Model 3 and Model Y, though with far smaller bezels (like we’ve seen on the Cybertruck prototype). There’s also a stalkless U-shaped butterfly steering wheel, much like what we’ve seen in the forthcoming second-generation Roadster, and a screen behind the center console for rear-seat passengers. Unlike the Model 3 and Model Y, the new Model S still features a screen behind the steering wheel. Von Holzhausen gets to envision the future on its own terms — gorgeous electric cars that will someday be able to drive themselves.
Franz, my boss and the head of design, always says that we each have our homework, but if we want to branch out and collaborate with other teams it’s very encouraged. We also like to dabble in creative technologies and come up with some crazy ideas. "I don't want to judge the Cybertruck as beautiful or ugly. It certainly has its admirers who want a vehicle to stand out," Giugiaro told NPR. This style was mastered in the 1970s in what Giugiaro called an "architectural exercise that resembles a modern Miami or San Francisco 'chalet,' almost a provocation." The stage was enveloped in artificial smoke as the truck made its entrance, accompanied by the resonating beats of music from loudspeakers. Along the edges, pyrotechnic flames ascended while the vehicle came to a halt before a graffiti-style Cybertruck graphic, starkly depicted in black and white.