The Teslas we know and love today are defined as the new and futuristic electric vehicle we’ve all been asking for. Their design can be defined as sleek, serious, but playful, however, how did we get to this point in time? How did Tesla define their brand image to be the new and wanted car to look out for?
To Begin we have to look back at the beginning of Tesla, the original Tesla roadster is an iconic piece of design that relates back to 2005.
Tesla Motors signed a production contract in 2005 with group Lotus to produce gliders. A full Lotus Elise minus the powertrain was roaming the streets as one of the first appealing electric vehicles of the 21st century.
After the famous Roadster was put out of action in 2010 Tesla hired infamous BMW designer Henrik Fisker. This partnership went on for years and was created so Tesla could develop a new and elegant family sedan.
However, months before everything was supposed to start Henrik pulled out of the deal and created his own car company, commonly known as Fisker Automotive. After a long legal dispute Henrik remained victorious, and his short lived Fisker Karma left a long scar in the Tesla lineup, dreaming of what could have been.
After the dramatic legal battle between Tesla and Fisker, Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, hired another famous designer, Franz von Holzhausen, the ex Mazda designer to create the new vision for the Tesla lineup.
As of today, Holzhausen has designed the Tesla Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Semi, second-generation Tesla Roadster, and the Cybertruck.
What does Holzhausen’s design look like? He created the Tesla lineup, the Model S is an inspiration of the Mercedes and BMW sedans, inspired from their elegant and sporty look.
Their low body to wheel ratio creates an attractive sport look, while their 5 seat arrangement creates for a perfect business-family car.
After their flagship car was a success, Tesla rolled out their next stage car, a lower priced car with a higher output, the Model 3.
The Model 3 sports a new and trendy look, with smooth exterior door lines, (character lines), and fast looking wheels.
At a lower price point of $40,000 the Model 3 is the perfect Tesla starter car for the average consumer. The Model X was their take on a Tesla powered SUV, with a large 7 seater capability, and a roomy overhead.
Whilst it’s an attractive car, it doesn’t just stop there, the Model X performance mode reaches 100mph in just 2.7 seconds!
That’s fast enough to compete with self proclaimed supercars like Lamborghini and Bugatti. All this, while costing half what other competitors ask for.
Recently, Tesla announced the Cybertruck. The Tesla Cybertruck took the world by storm in their first few weeks, being one of the most divisive vehicles of all time.
This was due to their intrusive sharp character lines and silhouette. Also, they botched their introduction by breaking their proclaimed “unbreakable” windows.
This created a media frenzy which encompasses the Tesla brand in one swift moment, shocking, new, and disruptive.
Overall, the Tesla brand is the new disruptive car company on the block.
Featuring attractive electric cars never seen before, new technology capabilities, longer batteries, and lower price points. Tesla will be a player for years to come in the electric car scene.
Well see you guys soon on another blog from us at UTW.