DeLorean designer has some thoughts on Tesla's Cybertruck : NPR

Table Of Content

• Tesla unveils redesigned Model S with new interior and 520-mile range option
• Lego mocks Tesla with "guaranteed shatterproof" brick model of Cybertruck
• Elon Musk’s $56bn Tesla pay package is too much, judge rules
• Tesla quarterly car deliveries fall for the first time in nearly four years
• Tesla releases cardboard cat house informed by Cybertruck in China
• Foreshadowing a fraught manufacturing process
• And that taking away extends inside the Model 3.

The Model S design scaled up beautifully for the Model X, but beauty doesn't always scale down. Not so with the Model 3, which manages to be more modest than the relatively big Model S without being a squashed-down version of that car. With an electric car, there's no need for a traditional grille because there's no internal-combustion engine to feed with oxygen or cool with airflow and a radiator. Musk embraces something called "first principles thinking" and has made it into a mantra at Tesla. The idea is to avoid thinking by analogy — let's make this car look like that car, just sort of different or better — and instead deal with problems by stripping them down to the core and working your way up. But von Holzhausen was frustrated with the traditional industry and ready to leave Mazda.

Tesla unveils redesigned Model S with new interior and 520-mile range option

The Plaid and Plaid Plus versions have top speeds of 200 miles per hour (with the “right tires,” according to Tesla CEO Elon Musk), while the Long Range tops out at 155 mph. Tesla says that the Plaid versions should be able to do five times as many quarter-mile runs as previous Model S sedans, thanks to the new powertrain and the new heat pump that was developed for the Model Y. Deliveries begin in October (right after Tesla’s shameless FSD transfer scheme expires) in left-hand drive markets in Europe and the Middle East. Tesla has not yet announced when deliveries begin for North America (or for RHD markets like the UK).

Lego mocks Tesla with "guaranteed shatterproof" brick model of Cybertruck

Model X is one of the safest SUVs designed with more cargo space, towing capacity and more seating configurations. The company is now preparing to launch this range in different countries as well as Roadster 2.0, which would have a potential feature called ”SpaceX option package”. This feature would include ten cold gas thrusters that improve the car’s acceleration and manoeuvrability.

Elon Musk’s $56bn Tesla pay package is too much, judge rules

All the exterior styling changes also improve the Model 3’s aerodynamics, according to Tesla. This adds up to more than 10 percent of reported range improvements, so that’s 344 miles WLTP for the rear-wheel drive version, and 421 miles WLTP for the long range model. So it's just about the rarest thing imaginable for a car designer to be able to imagine a new vehicle without feeling the explicit burden of the past. Thecheapest of the current Model 3 vehicles has a starting price of about $39,000.

Tesla quarterly car deliveries fall for the first time in nearly four years

We’ve expected this refresh for quite a while now, but now that we see it, it’s a lot more extensive than we had imagined it would be. This increased range largely comes from improvements in aerodynamics, with a lower and less bulbous front end, channeling air around the vehicle more effectively. This has resulted in a Cd of .219, Tesla’s lowest yet (down from .225 on the current Model 3), which improves range by 5-8% on its own.

Tesla unveils "first mass-market electric vehicle" the Model 3

But now we’ve seen a real, honest-to-goodness refresh of the Tesla Model 3, and it’s quite a big one. The infotainment system has also been upgraded with a brighter and more responsive screen, the ability to toggle the passenger air system, and improvements to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. Tesla has also upgraded the stereo system to 17 speakers over the 14 found on the previous model. The crazy thing is that although he had done great work before Tesla, he didn't have the right context for his considerable talents before he paired up with Musk's carmaker.

Tesla releases cardboard cat house informed by Cybertruck in China

Franz von Holzhausen (born May 10, 1968) is an American[4] vehicle designer. Its experimental approach towards design showcases their bold, fearless nature where they believe in themselves and have the conviction to change the industry one car at a time. The company’s user-friendly approach converges digitally and physically, giving the users a sense of belonging and control.

Foreshadowing a fraught manufacturing process

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Deliveries will start in October in select European countries and the Middle East, but Electrek reports that Tesla hasn’t announced availability in North America or the UK yet. The upgraded Model 3 starts at €42,990 for the rear-wheel drive model and €50,990 for the long range version. Tesla has announced an upgraded and redesigned Model 3 in Europe, known previously as the Highland. The new design includes changes to the front and rear, a new screen for rear passengers, a redesigned interior, and improvements to aerodynamics and range. A lot of designers would have let it rip and tried to be the next Giorgetto Giugiaro, the crucial Italian designer of Ferraris, Alfa Romeos, and Maseratis. In a sense, von Holzhausen did become the next Guigaro, minus the more flamboyant efforts.

The key change to its approach is to go faster on the start of production. We get a good amount of applications online, but honestly, our bar is high. It’s important that they’re able to adopt our design process which is much faster than other tech and automotive companies. The more versatile, independent and self- motivating, the better your chances. Our teams are very small and that requires everyone to be ultra-collaborative, non-competitive and just plain smart. As we speak, Tesla is working towards more sustainable options and features that could add value to the customer.

A few chats and meetings with Musk proved that the experienced designer and the entrepreneur with a designer's sensibility were on the same page, sharing vision and values. Before Franz von Holzhausen signed on with what was then called Tesla Motors in 2008, he was on his way to being a member of the automotive design world's elite. But it would also require billions of pounds in investment to get factories ready.

With their principle of catering to form as well as function, they make their cars compelling, attractive yet utilitarian. Their designs are futuristic and bold and still also display a sensibility that exudes purity and simplicity. Model 3, smaller than the Model S was designed to be just as attractive with more radical interiors, with a wooden dashboard that goes from one end to another. Tesla’s Model Y, the crossover SUV is designed for maximum versatility and safety. It has a raised seating and a panoramic glass roof that offers a view from all seven seats. But that tune started to change once Tesla started testing out a new powertrain in 2019 dubbed “Plaid” — which, much like the “Ludicrous” acceleration mode in Tesla’s cars, is a Spaceballs reference.

But aside from the basic specs, and the addition of the car to its website, Tesla didn’t mention anything about a design refresh. And, lest you think I am merely a luddite, recall that in our original Model 3 review, I raved about almost everything about this car, including the changes that many considered odd. It was and is an exceptional vehicle, and the Highland changes do not change that on balance. Another improvement is new wheel cover inserts which strike a compromise between consumers’ desires for larger-looking wheels and more range. Aerodynamic wheel inserts can increase range by a lot, but many think the wheels look better without the caps on (personally, I disagree, but whatever floats your boat). But note that those are WLTP numbers, so they’re bigger than the US EPA numbers will be when they come out.

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Established by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, Tesla was developed to be not just a car manufacturer but also a technology company. Musk, who heavily invested in the company took an active role within and established his position as the CEO in 2008. Same for using the screen for gear selection, which just feels kludgy – though that command isn’t used nearly as often as the turn signals, so it’s not as offensive to me personally.

However, Tuesday’s announcement indicated the new vehicles would be built on current manufacturing lines. Plus, Franz is totally accessible, which can be rare in other companies. We care for each other as much as the products we design, and I don’t mean that in a corny way. You really feel something special when you’re here, everyone says that. We also have this incredible ability to shift focus and realign priorities in an instant. We’re lean by design and a byproduct of that is vastly more responsibility for everyone.