Great video. But... Cybertruck design is all about reimagining truck design from a production standpoint. How can we get a lot from less. The aesthetics are almost a byproduct of that proces. Just rewatch Teslas presentation and listen to what they are saying.
This is why Musk isn't a good business person, he wastes billions of dollars being a fool. It looks like DeLoreon's failure. Or Hughes Hercules. Both dismal failures. Hughes was very frugal though, he didn't waste away his fortune even after death. Deloreon was great until he left GM.
I love Tesla, and am a designer myself -- but I'm not sure I caught the part where Tesla was saved from bankruptcy by design, specifically. You could probably make a similar argument for the engineering innovations increasing their desirability (and therefore sales), for example with the crazy 0-60 times and the visceral experience of that acceleration. Franz is definitely a legend for his work on Tesla though, and I can't deny that the design was unique and attractive enough to have a major role in their success.
In Job’s biography, there was a similar trending perception of Johnny’s contribution to the iPhone. It’s easy to see Ive’s and Franz’s contribution since it’s design but to assume the engineering and manufacturing teams were less important is a common misconception. If you watch Ive’s interviews over the 10 years since Job’s passing, you see a growing appreciation of Job’s role as more time passes. That’s very telling about both Job’s and Musk’s role who led multiple critical teams, which includes design.
I'm glad that you pointed out the need to have tactile buttons in the interior. While the design of the monolithic screen is striking, it takes your attention off the road. Even in cars that have capacitive buttons i sometimes struggle to find them while i'm having to look out for other drivers, or pedestrians on the road. I believe that electric cars are the future, but i will not be driving any of them that by design force me to drive unsafely
Great video. I have very mixed feelings about Telsa as do I think a lot of designers. I think Tesla's largely have a nice silhouette to their cars but overall I think are pretty uninspiring designs. The rear end's especially fade into mid price sedan rental car territory very quickly. But I will say I really respect their new approach to the automotive industry as a whole. After watching Sandy's series on the breakdown of these cars construction, I think one of the biggest contributions to the automotive world they have had is their approach to production and mid cycle hardware changes. No other companies would dream of doing that because it cuts directly into the bottom line, but with Telsa, they are assuring their new customers continually get the best possible version of a vehicle. I think that's really smart approach and wish other manufactures would also adapt something similar. Doing away with the horribly archaic dealership platform that other brands use is also a step in the right direction I think. Clearly it comes with it's own set of problems but I think it was a welcome change. Other things you mentioned like their "end to end" design are all very well thought as well. Of course they are single handedly to blame for the taping of ipads to dashboards everywhere which as a designer hurts my soul every time I see it haha but hey, like you said, they're just designing for the current generation so I understand the inspiration. Tesla is a breath of fresh air which at the end of the day is their biggest contribution. Time will tell if that head start they had in tech and production will be sustainable because every major automaker is now designing and releasing very similar products. If they have to rely on flamethrowers and Elon dropping f bombs to stay relevant I think Hans might be working for another automaker in 10 years. We shall see.
Jokes on us; there are no mid price sedans left to compare a Tesla to.😔 Genuinely, Tesla expedited the EV transition by at least a decade if not more. They single-handedly made EVs cool by exploiting the benefits that people find cool. And yes, similar in the way Nirvana killed the guitar solo, Tesla killed the dashboard.
I am on Tesla's infrastructure dev design team and while having our design team interface closely with the vehicle and product design teams can be a challenge, it also means we have a lot more control over the end user perception, not just with the car, but with the store, the merch, the service centers, and the superchargers. Another side note: to my knowledge, David Imai was the leading manager for the Cybertruck, before it was ever brought to Franz or even Elon for review/approval.
Oh wow that's very interesting, especially regarding the information about David Imai. The design has some really interesting thinking behind it. No car company would ever release anything like that. More interestingly, one thing my friend pointed out was that no car company has really attempted to copy it (which is very common in that field). However, I am very skeptical about the design for the reasons mentioned in the video.
@@Design.Theory Its hard for us to approach as designers since it is 99% a new form driven by engineering and manufacturability. As far as the "reasons" mentioned, time will tell if value, parsimony and utility lead to development of a new aesthetic being accepted, or if the evolution of truck designs based on 1920's ladder frames will continue to dominate.
Love the breakdown, but I kind of disagree about how much the envelope was pushed, especially with the original Model S. Yes it was a nice design, but nothing revolutionary. Just an amalgamation of other beautiful vehicles.
I actually agree with you. He didn't push the design too far...but that was very intentional. You have to remember that we're looking at the design 10+ years later and it still looks great. Not many car designs are able to pull that off. That's why the Tesla design language is great...not because of what's new about it, but because of the restraint Franz had in designing it.
Agree - the Model S wasnt revolutionary but needed to stand out in so many ways- a tight rope to balance on from a design standpoint- also paving the way and solidifying for the Model3 design language. Decade long slow clap for Franz
Nowadays, so many cars have tried to emulate the design of the Model S. From a distance, they all kinda look the same. . . because the Model S, not being able to fill up at a gas station, had to be reAlly slippery through the air. Form follows function. And most styling is “copycat”. As a side note. . . My dad used to say if it were not for the radical styling of the 1948 Studebaker, we’d all still be driving around in 1946 Fords
But take most of the vehicule from that period I guarantee you the model s will still look modern + by design I remember Steve job said it s not only the look at that it was revolutionary At one point you see every other car maker Starr wanting to do the same for some of their model
Tesla design is really good. But what also helps it 10 years later is that we’re still yet to see 2nd generation of it’s cars. Car design, because it evolves with technology, tends to get old when a new generation comes. Something that looked astonishing might look outdated in 5 years. Just because we invented new lighting technology, advances in chassis development made possible bigger rims, new assembly techniques made gaps and seals slimmer etc. Just look how pre-facelift model S (with black front fascia, looks less fresh than newer ones. Of course, good design will always look good, even 50 years later. But for mainstream vehicles, manufacturers need fresh designs to stay relevant, unfortunately. Manufacturers like Porsche are making cars rather similar from one generation to another. That helps them to have timeless, lasting designs. If Porsche made huge design changes from one generation of 911 to another, 997 for example wouldn’t look so fresh nowadays, almost 20 years later. If Tesla is smart, which I believe is, they should make an incremental evolution in terms of design for new generations.
Although I could not disagree more with your view on the CT, your analysis and breakdown of design for S and 3 was extremely interesting and engaging. THANK YOU!!!;)
CT is highly polarizing for obvious reasons. When it 1st rolled out on stage I, like many, thought it might be a joke, next I really wished I hadn't bet the ranch on TSLA...but after a few days I warmed up to it. Candidly it makes ALL other modern pickups look like cheesy grandma's grocery getters. Surely they must have fully considered legal issues and it sure as heck will sell like crazy. They can always build a more conventional PU, and mini PU.
Yes it does, but they’re so common now, it’ll be nice to see a modest redesign to set the new ones apart. I’d like to see the 3 offered in a hatchback to increase flexibility.
@@Wooster77 They will not do that because it would cannibalize their Model Y. I would definetely buy a M3 with hatchback. The MY looks ugly to me, it ist looking like oversize & overweight, fat. When it came out I wanted to test drive it, but cancled the test drive when I saw it in reality. Drove a M3 instead. If it had a hatchback I would have bought it directly after the drive. It looked really sleek, a bit like a Porsche.
I rented a Tesla model 3 for 5 days and initially it was a little weird getting used to the screen; however what I realized was all the "quick adjust" buttons you really need are on the steering wheel and the rest show up on the screen and it was very relaxing and calming not having a bunch of buttons, knobs & switches on the dashboard. Never got road rage.
The Range Rover Velar is one of the best examples of minimalism but keeping the essence of the design. The Velar is the future of crossover SUV design.
As Tesla model 3 Performance driver, I enjoy every minute driving it. The only thing regarding the user interface I would like to see changed is the font size of the messages. Those are too small for my ageing eyes and keep my eyes longer of the road then they need to be. What people tend to forget is that most settings are set once and don’t have to change. An absolute great feature is the driver profile. The mirror, seat and steering wheel positions are personal and set automatically when you open the car with your phone key or fob. And for those settings that you forgot where to look for them after a while, just use the voice command to surface them.
Heard that. Several things have fallen by the way side as FSD soaks up most software developer efforts. The ability to move elements around on screen and select font size are two huge features that need to be implemented ASAP.
Software developers in Tesla are young guys in their 20s with 20/20 vision, perhaps they need to be told their clientele doesn't consist merely of 25 year olds. They should do it sooner or later, it's not difficult to implement in qt which I guess is the GUI framework they're still using, just throw a tweet at Elon for now.
This is such a high quality video! It’s so interesting to listen to you break down all these different aspects of the design and strategy tesla has implemented to avoid bankruptcy. This kind of explination is one of the main reasons I love design
Very enlightening. Unfortunately, you did thoroughly demonstrate how the brilliant design saved Tesla from bankruptcy twice. Does the company ask buyers what they want? I suggest consumer preferences be given high priority.
6:22 those are LIDAR cameras, the ultrasonic sensors are more like the parking sensors on a mid 2000s BMW. They blend into the body work quite well. At 7:36 you see the sensors at either side of the license plate as well as below the headlight. They look like every other manufacturer's sensors from here.
Actually, the reason Teslas dont have ugly Sensors all around is because they mailnly rely on "normal" cameras for scanning their surroundings. Tesla is really good at software to get the most information out of it, but a lot of people say this can never be as good (and therefore as safe) as using Lidars with real depth-information. I think if Tesla had Lidars too, we would see a very different design approach - would be interesting to see!
Not only do I consider the Cybertruck great looking, but, if seen as an SUV, a fully-loaded one, with its spectacular off-road abilities, is a large, versatile hauler and camper. Add a Cyberlander camper, and it might be the best all-rounder available.
Agreed. Truck body design is one of the least innovative in the whole automotive industry. This is going to bring trucks to a new group of people. I've wanted a truck for practicality but I just can't bring myself to get one, probably for the same reason most current truck guys wouldn't get the CT. I am looking forward to getting a CT if pricing is anywhere near what was stated in 2019.
As an engineer myself, I have to admit it’s much easier to start from scratch than pick up where someone left off. This is exactly what other manufacturers have been struggling with. They have to keep how the design used to look in order to produce EVs, which can be a problem for efficiency. So given this guys experience, it was a great project to kickstart.
The engineering behind the cyber truck was pushed to the extreme in terms of efficiency. No paint required, no rust, no scratches reduced production line etc.. I love it
Don't forget functional strength (or is this included in your "efficiency" remark?). Also, the simplicity of the parts the car consists of and the relative few parts it consists of (thus relatively cheap and fast to manufacture).
One thing that makes Tesla unique is their focus on constant upgradability and improvement, even after you have bought the vehicle. Their software upgrades and the touchscreen mean that the user interface can change radically overnight, adding features and changing how you access them. They can even add features that were not dreamed of when the car was manufactured.
I think you missed all the important reasons Cybertruck looks the way it does. It's not about anything other than making a tough electric truck as capable and affordable as possible. It's angled design and exoskeleton are required. It's stronger and more aerodynamic because of the shape. The locked bed area becomes living space. Doesn't need paint. Lights are tiny so they don't break during off roading. And that's only about half the excellent reasons it looks like it does. And it's already a design icon for the ages. It's transfixed and obsessed millions already. Can't argue with 1.5mil deposits, 3x the response to Model3.
No doubt you've heard the design philosophy "form follows function", well in the cybertruck Form Follows manufacturing Functionality: how it looks is determined by how it's made, and how it's made is determined by why it's being made -- ONe tRucK To Rule Them All!
After owning two I walked away from Lexus RX 8 years ago due to their adoption of the strange sharp design angles (like the cyber truck) and opted for the Porsche Macan. This year we bought a model Y as a second car and love the side and rears but the nose design on it still bothers me as it feel too abrupt. I'm disappointed you didn't discuss this model in your review as it ripe for critique.
@@Design.Theory I mean if you do go mainstream. Don't sell your soul to the devil. I saw a lot of "smaller" authentic creative UA-camrs do that. 🙂 Good luck
In Europe you don't see pick-ups often, they were invented to be used as tools and work cars, I see the cybertruck and all the pick-ups as a tool, so I like the cybertruck design, it doesn't look good, but it is efficient and cheap to produce, just like a tool I don't care if looks good I want it to do the job and I want it for an affordable price (cybertruck is cheaper then completion thanks to the ugly design) as a mechanical engineering student I think the cybertruck design is pretty cool because it uses a lot of never before manufacturing technics.
Front grille is very important for the aesthetics, because it resembles facial features. And Tesla still retains it by having an imprint where You'd usually look for a grille. It is like a faux grille, different to the filled out grilles in car models that have their gasoline counterparts.
I'm not tied to grilles but the major car corporations are all invested in them as a 'part of their design language' Toyota/Lexus spindle grille took this a bit too far IMHO. Tesla was unique in their only history was the Lotus the original coupe was based on.
@@yaroslavbozhdynsky It definitely draws from Predator. While striking and unique I'm not the only one who finds the more extreme examples unattractive.
The Cybertruck is revolutionary. Like Bauhaus was in the early 20th century. It's fantastic, and very appealing. And I'd love to have one. As an engineer, I admire its form and function, where function and physics of material dictated form. When you look at modern architecture, it also is a slap to the organic face in design, straight edges, sharp angles, minimalist. Flies in the face of nature and organic shapes. The Cybertruck takes that to the road. One can't admire one while frown the same concept and philosophy to the other.
That's actually not the best comparison. You're focusing too much on outward appearance. Bauhaus tended to put form ahead of function. Just google "bauhaus teapot" to see some ergonomic nightmares. Really, the Cybertruck is closest to brutalism in terms of appearance and philosophy. Remember though, form and function are ALWAYS inextricably linked in any design...Not just with the Cybertruck. Even the swoopy organic Teslas are heavily driven by aerodynamics, crash safety, crumple zones, driving/handling, etc. etc. etc.
@@Design.Theory I'm an Architecture student and you took the words right out of my mouth lol. The first thing I thought when I saw the Cybertruck were Cyberpunk movies and set designs, which ironically included a ton of Brutalism Architecture from LeCorbusier and Louis Kahn.
Tesla has physical buttons for things you use frequently. Turn signals, wipers, volume, audio tuning, windows, opening the doors... I'm just curious as to what physical buttons people want? Tesla has auto climate and auto lights, and other various things can be done using voice commands. Also, the speed being more in your line of view on the top left of screen is so nice. Looking down through a steering wheel for your speed in traditional cars takes your eyes off the road. I can drive my Tesla without ever needing to touch the screen because everything you use is perfectly integrated or automatic.
Somebody else probably pointed it out but the reason why other autonomous cars have bulky sensors is simply because they use a different suite of them (generally, it’s LIDAR). Tesla uses more traditional stuff like ultrasonic, radar and cameras. They’re slowly progressing towards only using their cameras for autonomous driving.
The Cybertruck is the result of engineering and first principles thinking, the triangle is the strongest shape, a reason why you don't need a gap between the cab and bed like a typical, weak, frame on body dinosaur.
I live in somewhat rural Washington State on the Olympic Peninsula, about 2+ hours from Seattle (with ferry rides) and Teslas are absolutely everywhere here, probably the most common vehicle (4 Runners are close...)
The Cybertruck isn’t that large for a truck. The edges aren’t aren’t sharp in the sense that they can cut, so I don’t see what the safety issue is. It seems to me all of people aren’t used the harsh design, which instinctually makes them think it’s dangerous.
I agree. The truck is great for tough environments. The stainless exoskeleton and cast aluminum base render it infinitely rebuild able. Municipalities will love it as well.
I can’t help you with Cybertruck. The stainless steel exoskeleton is so hard it can’t be compound curves. I suspect it’s strength to weight will result in a great feeling truck that’s in a league of its own to drive and do work. We shall see!
Can you look at Citroen please? I have a CX Prestige, it was the follow up of the Citroen DS. The SM and C6 are something to behold… and then theres the XM and other Bertone designs. Love your channel. Greetings from South Africa
Cybertruck is EVERYTHING about function. The most efficient, robust and utilitarian design a truck can have based on physics and first principles. To understand this in detail from an engineering standpoint, look at the three parts video series at the Connecting The Dots channel.
I thought I would miss buttons too. I don't. The stuff I need is quickly available, and the rest is two taps. Plus the car drives itself so I can manage looking to touch things. The voice control helps too. So yeah, I don't miss the buttons. They just clutter the car.
Always a treat with your videos. Tesla knows how to market itself. Props to Holzhauzen for being the Ives of Tesla, you might say. Would still love your thoughts on the stratification of cars and how it differs to ICE cars from a design perspective, but might go too into marketing. Cybertruck video aged surprisingly well. Keep on rocking!
The new model 3 Highland is thought of as the best improvement on the car ever. The cybertruck is also out now and people have said that it is a dream to drive because of the steer by wire design. Many people who use it for living day to day will find the 120 and 240 electrical outlets very useful.
Now that mass production of the Cyber Truck is about to commense (if it hasn't already) there is a clear difference between the first prototype and those that are being made now. All sightings have shown design tweaks to adress all the concerns brought up in this video. I think you should make another one on the Cybertruck!
The Final product has huge design problems and some of which could have been avoided. I'll give you one of many examples - The A pillar is one of the worst designs I have ever seen and will lead to many accidents from its lack of visibility. Their impractical wedge shape is part of the problem but look how thick it is compared to normal cars and trucks . At minimum they should have re-enforced the rigidity in other ways instead
I'm sold on the cybertruck because it's made of stainless steel and needs no paint. I don't want to worry about my adventure vehicle getting scratched or rusty, especially if I spent over 70K for it. One of several reasons why rivian has never appealed to me.
Re minimalistic design we should remember Dieter Rams. About the Cybertruck, your critic is good and welcome. So we can say, even with this design there is still a high demand for this vehicle. On the top i would have put a horizontal part. But so manufacturing is more easy. And this - without paint and stainless steel - could become the masterpiece in low manufacturing expenses but an extremely high quality vehicle.
If you think the Cybertruck is sympbolic of a post-apocalyptic future, that's an image problem. But images can be changed. Maybe the thing is to create new images to attach to this product. I'm sure many will try very hard to do that.
The Cybertruck stuff is just bizarre. It's not a meme, it is DEFINITELY going to be a product (next summer, production starts). And it was engineered, not designed.
Coming from the future, the CyberTruck is outselling all of its electric truck competition. Hard edges aren't an issue for certifying a truck because it's a truck. The massive flat fronts on every other trucks are much more dangerous for pedestrians than the lower hood height of the CyberTruck - not to mention the greatly reduced frontover area for a better view of what's directly in front.
I get the criticisms about the cyber truck. It is massive , especially for other markets outside of the US . I'm in Australia and I think they will need to change laws to get it in our market. The sharp edges do look dangerous as well I'm not sure if stainless steel crumples well. While the massive positive for me is it is just so out there that I love it. I want to be driving a car from the future now. I'm just so bored with what I see around me in what's available. It just all looks the same. So bring on the cyber truck please 🙏
In terms of proportions, the Tesla Model S has some features that made it look 20 years *older* than contemporary gas powered cars, with the low hoodline calling to mind '80s and '90s Hondas and similar cars that had hood and fender lines just high enough to clear the suspension and valve cover (indeed they could be lower still than the Model S's hood--pop-up headlights were not just a gimmick, they were necessary with very low hoodlines to allow the lights to be high enough to be practical). Now there are regulations about clearance between the hood and engine so the hood can deform if the car strikes a pedestrian to reduce the impact force of the victim falling on the hood, so ICE cars cannot have front ends like that anymore. I would expect that the forced induction systems and sound-deadening engine covers used today also increase the height of the engine, raising hoodlines of ICE cars even more.
I am seeing lots of Rivian trucks all over my home city. They are beautiful and people love them. Rivian has brought working electric trucks to market years before Tesla. They now have have the first to market advantage. They also have the advantage of having a CEO who is not as controversial. In fact, he seems sane.
Configuring Covid and the current war in the Ukraine with the Cyber truck short circuited my brain. I was with you until then. You just sounded crazed.
Pretty sure the sensors aren't behind any aluminum. They have plastic bits the sensors are behind AFAIK. And as a sidenote, they're taking sensors out of the equation soon in software, making ncertain functions unavailable for a while. Interesting...
4:05 I don't understand this part. The A-pillar is on the same place as in any other inner combustion engine vehicle. Even more - there is enough space under the hood to install a V8 engine and you can find videos of people doing so. The only thing that shows that this is an EV is absence of the front grill and exhaust pipes. The reason the A-pillar was installed further then they could is because it looks better (at least I think so). There is a video on UA-cam about the fundamentals of car design and it basically says, if you want your car look better, sportier, and more premium - move an A-pillar further, otherwise the car looks somewhat strange - Mercedes EQS is a good example of that.
Although Tesla Model S design is really good and stayed fresh for a long time, I need to reply on some of your statements: - as you mentioned, Model S design draws inspiration from various other car designs. In that regard, it’s far from original. It’s a great, balanced design, having a nice road presence (latter statement doesn’t apply to Model 3 though). But it’s rather unoriginal and from some perspectives even slightly generic. For me, a true highlight of Model S design is the best integration of aerodynamic shape and classical sexy proportions I’ve seen in a mainstream, 4 door car. I’m not talking “Ferrari aerodynamics” but a true practical shape Toyota Prius is known for, which is now common to all EVs. In Tesla Model S, it doesn’t look like a plain chase of efficiency, it looks like a planned and desired shape. Which goes perfectly with your observation that Elon wanted to create eco-friendly, but still exciting and emotional product. -Highlights of the design you mentioned as unique to the EV architecture, are far from the truth. For example, low front is something a lot of ICE cars have, even front engined ones, especially Japanese cars from 90s. Even original BMW 8 is proudly sporting low slung, wedged shape. - Model S doesn’t have “glasshouse pushed waaay forwards” making use of the EV architecture. Quite opposite, it’s much more conventional looking car, one might believe it could be an ICE car from the design itself. Lot of other EVs and ICEs like minivans have greenhouse pushed extremely forward chasing the practicality and efficiency. But Tesla with Model S wanted to make a car that doesn’t look too alien, rather a sexy car in conventional regard. - Before the facelift, Model S also had a fake front fascia, so the original design wasn’t revolutionary in that regard as well. - Freshness of their design is partly due to the good design itself, but partly because we’re yet to see a true 2nd generation of their models. Cars tend to look out of date as soon as a new model arrives. Of course, not all cars, for example Porsche, Aston Martin… cultivate great design and incremental changes, but a lot of mainstream cars do. - interior, apart from quality issues, is rather uninspiring and in some regards bad example of minimalistic design. Sitting in rear seats, you’re presented with the ultimate blandness, not a single unique design feature. You have a door handle, a vent and a view of the bland seat backs. But most importantly, in effort to make an unique design which will be talked about, they unknowingly started one of the worst trends in modern car design: removal of physical buttons and integration of important functions on screens. It’s not only missing a satisfactory tactile feedback, but is a safety hazard as well, which for me is a true example of “show before function”
Cybertruck reminds me of my DeLorean, beautiful. One look at how many preorders Tesla got for it proves the design was genius in terms of grabbing public interest.
A delorean is quite literally my dream car. While on the surface the cybertruck and delorean have a lot of commonalities, I think there are vast differences in terms of execution.
@@Design.Theory The DeLorean was great fun. The car snagged people's attention from it's sleek lines, to the louvered rear windows and it's magical gullwing doors. It had a wide panoramic front window, super comfy and supportive seats, and absolute stability on the road. It gave real meaning to the phrase "It corners like it's on rails". On the downside, the tiny openable slot in the door windows, the problems with its reverse gear not operating smoothly and lack of any significant usable storage space made it an impractical vehicle for day to day use. We loved it, anyway!
Love my model 3 and enjoy the drive. The style for all models is clean and stands out. Never boring. I believe the designs are good for many years to come without being outdated opposite of kias and Hyundai that copy bits and pieces from different companies and flood the market with so many models and designs that are just overwhelmed with lines and curves that make them boring after a short time. Kudos to the designers and engineers of Tesla.
Good video. There's a mistake though, cars with driving assists (you show a waymo one on screen) have sensors on the outside, but those are LiDAR sensors that teslas do not have at all
@@Mrbfgray I think that's incorrect. Humans also have hearing, memory, heavily contextualized prexisiting knowledge, etc.... IN THEORY all you need is vision and very advanced AI. IN PRACTICE we don't have that yet (not for a long while) and marketing yourself as if you already do is dishonest if you ask me
I was actually disappointed by the Model 3 design when it was revealed because I expected an old Model S in small. But nowadays I own a Model 3 myself and really appreciate its design.
You and your business can try Onshape for free at Onshape.pro/DesignTheory . This vid was a really fun one to make. I'm sure you'll enjoy it!
Great video. But... Cybertruck design is all about reimagining truck design from a production standpoint. How can we get a lot from less. The aesthetics are almost a byproduct of that proces. Just rewatch Teslas presentation and listen to what they are saying.
This is why Musk isn't a good business person, he wastes billions of dollars being a fool. It looks like DeLoreon's failure. Or Hughes Hercules. Both dismal failures. Hughes was very frugal though, he didn't waste away his fortune even after death. Deloreon was great until he left GM.
Starting a Design School?
I love Tesla, and am a designer myself -- but I'm not sure I caught the part where Tesla was saved from bankruptcy by design, specifically. You could probably make a similar argument for the engineering innovations increasing their desirability (and therefore sales), for example with the crazy 0-60 times and the visceral experience of that acceleration. Franz is definitely a legend for his work on Tesla though, and I can't deny that the design was unique and attractive enough to have a major role in their success.
In Job’s biography, there was a similar trending perception of Johnny’s contribution to the iPhone. It’s easy to see Ive’s and Franz’s contribution since it’s design but to assume the engineering and manufacturing teams were less important is a common misconception. If you watch Ive’s interviews over the 10 years since Job’s passing, you see a growing appreciation of Job’s role as more time passes. That’s very telling about both Job’s and Musk’s role who led multiple critical teams, which includes design.
Yeah the „this is teslas designer“ title just didn’t cut it. I know it beforehand and watched either way.
It looks like a white tube sock.
I'm glad that you pointed out the need to have tactile buttons in the interior. While the design of the monolithic screen is striking, it takes your attention off the road. Even in cars that have capacitive buttons i sometimes struggle to find them while i'm having to look out for other drivers, or pedestrians on the road. I believe that electric cars are the future, but i will not be driving any of them that by design force me to drive unsafely
Nah the screen lowers cognitive load. All the main functions you need to drive are physical.
This is not what’s keeping you from buying a Tesla..😂
I'm sure you don't own a model 3. Otherwise you'd know this is a non-issue. Except maybe if you're very, very old.
Most consumers go for what looks shiny and new. Very few will avoid a car because it has a touch screen.
Haha no, this point is from ppl who actualy fiddle with all the damn buttons on all the time.
Just drive the car.
Looking forward to seeing how the design evolves for the 3 and Y.
They removed the Porsche-like headlights and the iconic tail lights signature. I am not glad about that, because some tech issues got solved.
Great video. I have very mixed feelings about Telsa as do I think a lot of designers. I think Tesla's largely have a nice silhouette to their cars but overall I think are pretty uninspiring designs. The rear end's especially fade into mid price sedan rental car territory very quickly.
But I will say I really respect their new approach to the automotive industry as a whole. After watching Sandy's series on the breakdown of these cars construction, I think one of the biggest contributions to the automotive world they have had is their approach to production and mid cycle hardware changes. No other companies would dream of doing that because it cuts directly into the bottom line, but with Telsa, they are assuring their new customers continually get the best possible version of a vehicle. I think that's really smart approach and wish other manufactures would also adapt something similar. Doing away with the horribly archaic dealership platform that other brands use is also a step in the right direction I think. Clearly it comes with it's own set of problems but I think it was a welcome change.
Other things you mentioned like their "end to end" design are all very well thought as well. Of course they are single handedly to blame for the taping of ipads to dashboards everywhere which as a designer hurts my soul every time I see it haha but hey, like you said, they're just designing for the current generation so I understand the inspiration.
Tesla is a breath of fresh air which at the end of the day is their biggest contribution. Time will tell if that head start they had in tech and production will be sustainable because every major automaker is now designing and releasing very similar products. If they have to rely on flamethrowers and Elon dropping f bombs to stay relevant I think Hans might be working for another automaker in 10 years. We shall see.
Jokes on us; there are no mid price sedans left to compare a Tesla to.😔
Genuinely, Tesla expedited the EV transition by at least a decade if not more. They single-handedly made EVs cool by exploiting the benefits that people find cool. And yes, similar in the way Nirvana killed the guitar solo, Tesla killed the dashboard.
I am on Tesla's infrastructure dev design team and while having our design team interface closely with the vehicle and product design teams can be a challenge, it also means we have a lot more control over the end user perception, not just with the car, but with the store, the merch, the service centers, and the superchargers.
Another side note: to my knowledge, David Imai was the leading manager for the Cybertruck, before it was ever brought to Franz or even Elon for review/approval.
Oh wow that's very interesting, especially regarding the information about David Imai. The design has some really interesting thinking behind it. No car company would ever release anything like that. More interestingly, one thing my friend pointed out was that no car company has really attempted to copy it (which is very common in that field). However, I am very skeptical about the design for the reasons mentioned in the video.
@@Design.Theory Its hard for us to approach as designers since it is 99% a new form driven by engineering and manufacturability. As far as the "reasons" mentioned, time will tell if value, parsimony and utility lead to development of a new aesthetic being accepted, or if the evolution of truck designs based on 1920's ladder frames will continue to dominate.
Hopefully they will scale it to down to make it more "parkable."
Making designs driven by manufacturability is nothing new for designers, though. That was Dieter Rams' whole ethos.
@@gordonstewart5774 yup this - would love to see this come to europe! Needs to be smaller
Love the breakdown, but I kind of disagree about how much the envelope was pushed, especially with the original Model S. Yes it was a nice design, but nothing revolutionary. Just an amalgamation of other beautiful vehicles.
I actually agree with you. He didn't push the design too far...but that was very intentional. You have to remember that we're looking at the design 10+ years later and it still looks great. Not many car designs are able to pull that off. That's why the Tesla design language is great...not because of what's new about it, but because of the restraint Franz had in designing it.
Agree - the Model S wasnt revolutionary but needed to stand out in so many ways- a tight rope to balance on from a design standpoint- also paving the way and solidifying for the Model3 design language. Decade long slow clap for Franz
Nowadays, so many cars have tried to emulate the design of the Model S. From a distance, they all kinda look the same. . . because the Model S, not being able to fill up at a gas station, had to be reAlly slippery through the air. Form follows function. And most styling is “copycat”.
As a side note. . . My dad used to say if it were not for the radical styling of the 1948 Studebaker, we’d all still be driving around in 1946 Fords
But take most of the vehicule from that period I guarantee you the model s will still look modern
+ by design I remember Steve job said it s not only the look at that it was revolutionary
At one point you see every other car maker Starr wanting to do the same for some of their model
Tesla design is really good. But what also helps it 10 years later is that we’re still yet to see 2nd generation of it’s cars.
Car design, because it evolves with technology, tends to get old when a new generation comes. Something that looked astonishing might look outdated in 5 years. Just because we invented new lighting technology, advances in chassis development made possible bigger rims, new assembly techniques made gaps and seals slimmer etc.
Just look how pre-facelift model S (with black front fascia, looks less fresh than newer ones.
Of course, good design will always look good, even 50 years later. But for mainstream vehicles, manufacturers need fresh designs to stay relevant, unfortunately.
Manufacturers like Porsche are making cars rather similar from one generation to another. That helps them to have timeless, lasting designs. If Porsche made huge design changes from one generation of 911 to another, 997 for example wouldn’t look so fresh nowadays, almost 20 years later.
If Tesla is smart, which I believe is, they should make an incremental evolution in terms of design for new generations.
Although I could not disagree more with your view on the CT, your analysis and breakdown of design for S and 3 was extremely interesting and engaging. THANK YOU!!!;)
CT is highly polarizing for obvious reasons. When it 1st rolled out on stage I, like many, thought it might be a joke, next I really wished I hadn't bet the ranch on TSLA...but after a few days I warmed up to it. Candidly it makes ALL other modern pickups look like cheesy grandma's grocery getters.
Surely they must have fully considered legal issues and it sure as heck will sell like crazy. They can always build a more conventional PU, and mini PU.
The Model 3 is 5 years old already and still looks fresh and futuristic.
Yes it does, but they’re so common now, it’ll be nice to see a modest redesign to set the new ones apart. I’d like to see the 3 offered in a hatchback to increase flexibility.
@@Wooster77 They will not do that because it would cannibalize their Model Y. I would definetely buy a M3 with hatchback. The MY looks ugly to me, it ist looking like oversize & overweight, fat. When it came out I wanted to test drive it, but cancled the test drive when I saw it in reality. Drove a M3 instead. If it had a hatchback I would have bought it directly after the drive. It looked really sleek, a bit like a Porsche.
@@Wooster77Are you happy with the redesign?
A brilliant designer of timeless designs.
I always love to listen to experts explaining car design philosophies and your idea is the best so far on Tesla design!
I rented a Tesla model 3 for 5 days and initially it was a little weird getting used to the screen; however what I realized was all the "quick adjust" buttons you really need are on the steering wheel and the rest show up on the screen and it was very relaxing and calming not having a bunch of buttons, knobs & switches on the dashboard. Never got road rage.
Oh that's interesting
The Range Rover Velar is one of the best examples of minimalism but keeping the essence of the design. The Velar is the future of crossover SUV design.
As Tesla model 3 Performance driver, I enjoy every minute driving it.
The only thing regarding the user interface I would like to see changed is the font size of the messages.
Those are too small for my ageing eyes and keep my eyes longer of the road then they need to be.
What people tend to forget is that most settings are set once and don’t have to change.
An absolute great feature is the driver profile. The mirror, seat and steering wheel positions are personal and set automatically when you open the car with your phone key or fob.
And for those settings that you forgot where to look for them after a while, just use the voice command to surface them.
Heard that. Several things have fallen by the way side as FSD soaks up most software developer efforts. The ability to move elements around on screen and select font size are two huge features that need to be implemented ASAP.
Software developers in Tesla are young guys in their 20s with 20/20 vision, perhaps they need to be told their clientele doesn't consist merely of 25 year olds.
They should do it sooner or later, it's not difficult to implement in qt which I guess is the GUI framework they're still using, just throw a tweet at Elon for now.
I would like a portion of the screen fully customizable whatever & however you want anything of information on display there.
This is such a high quality video! It’s so interesting to listen to you break down all these different aspects of the design and strategy tesla has implemented to avoid bankruptcy.
This kind of explination is one of the main reasons I love design
Very enlightening. Unfortunately, you did thoroughly demonstrate how the brilliant design saved Tesla from bankruptcy twice.
Does the company ask buyers what they want? I suggest consumer preferences be given high priority.
6:22 those are LIDAR cameras, the ultrasonic sensors are more like the parking sensors on a mid 2000s BMW. They blend into the body work quite well. At 7:36 you see the sensors at either side of the license plate as well as below the headlight. They look like every other manufacturer's sensors from here.
I think the Cybertruck looks awesome!
Actually, the reason Teslas dont have ugly Sensors all around is because they mailnly rely on "normal" cameras for scanning their surroundings. Tesla is really good at software to get the most information out of it, but a lot of people say this can never be as good (and therefore as safe) as using Lidars with real depth-information. I think if Tesla had Lidars too, we would see a very different design approach - would be interesting to see!
Not only do I consider the Cybertruck great looking, but, if seen as an SUV, a fully-loaded one, with its spectacular off-road abilities, is a large, versatile hauler and camper. Add a Cyberlander camper, and it might be the best all-rounder available.
Agreed. Truck body design is one of the least innovative in the whole automotive industry. This is going to bring trucks to a new group of people. I've wanted a truck for practicality but I just can't bring myself to get one, probably for the same reason most current truck guys wouldn't get the CT. I am looking forward to getting a CT if pricing is anywhere near what was stated in 2019.
As an engineer myself, I have to admit it’s much easier to start from scratch than pick up where someone left off. This is exactly what other manufacturers have been struggling with. They have to keep how the design used to look in order to produce EVs, which can be a problem for efficiency. So given this guys experience, it was a great project to kickstart.
keep in mind that reducing the drag is also one of their objective
Absolutely
The engineering behind the cyber truck was pushed to the extreme in terms of efficiency. No paint required, no rust, no scratches reduced production line etc.. I love it
Don't forget functional strength (or is this included in your "efficiency" remark?).
Also, the simplicity of the parts the car consists of and the relative few parts it consists of (thus relatively cheap and fast to manufacture).
I was ready to buy a Model 3, 2019, when I heard Aptera was back. I ordered two. Now, there is the ultimate design!
Designing Superyachts in a previous life, I found your styling comments/analysis appropriate & satisfying. Copy your thoughts on the Cybertruck.
One thing that makes Tesla unique is their focus on constant upgradability and improvement, even after you have bought the vehicle. Their software upgrades and the touchscreen mean that the user interface can change radically overnight, adding features and changing how you access them. They can even add features that were not dreamed of when the car was manufactured.
I think you missed all the important reasons Cybertruck looks the way it does.
It's not about anything other than making a tough electric truck as capable and affordable as possible.
It's angled design and exoskeleton are required.
It's stronger and more aerodynamic because of the shape.
The locked bed area becomes living space.
Doesn't need paint. Lights are tiny so they don't break during off roading.
And that's only about half the excellent reasons it looks like it does.
And it's already a design icon for the ages. It's transfixed and obsessed millions already.
Can't argue with 1.5mil deposits, 3x the response to Model3.
You nailed it. And you won't be wrong with BMW design in 2050, I'm sure about that.
Great work as always John!
How this has no comments
The ultrasonics are visible on Teslas except the ones behind the gull wing doors on the Model X.
No doubt you've heard the design philosophy "form follows function", well in the cybertruck Form Follows manufacturing Functionality: how it looks is determined by how it's made, and how it's made is determined by why it's being made -- ONe tRucK To Rule Them All!
Yep. 😁
After owning two I walked away from Lexus RX 8 years ago due to their adoption of the strange sharp design angles (like the cyber truck) and opted for the Porsche Macan. This year we bought a model Y as a second car and love the side and rears but the nose design on it still bothers me as it feel too abrupt. I'm disappointed you didn't discuss this model in your review as it ripe for critique.
The polestar is the true masterpiece of a design.
This channel is a hidden Goldmine.
I don't want this channel to go mainstream
It will never go mainstream. but if it gets bigger it incentivizes me to make more, better content
@@Design.Theory I mean if you do go mainstream. Don't sell your soul to the devil.
I saw a lot of "smaller" authentic creative UA-camrs do that. 🙂
Good luck
In Europe you don't see pick-ups often, they were invented to be used as tools and work cars, I see the cybertruck and all the pick-ups as a tool, so I like the cybertruck design, it doesn't look good, but it is efficient and cheap to produce, just like a tool I don't care if looks good I want it to do the job and I want it for an affordable price (cybertruck is cheaper then completion thanks to the ugly design) as a mechanical engineering student I think the cybertruck design is pretty cool because it uses a lot of never before manufacturing technics.
Front grille is very important for the aesthetics, because it resembles facial features. And Tesla still retains it by having an imprint where You'd usually look for a grille. It is like a faux grille, different to the filled out grilles in car models that have their gasoline counterparts.
Agree
I'm not tied to grilles but the major car corporations are all invested in them as a 'part of their design language'
Toyota/Lexus spindle grille took this a bit too far IMHO.
Tesla was unique in their only history was the Lotus the original coupe was based on.
@@jimurrata6785 Lexus grille breaks with the facial connotation of the design. Looks deliberately aggressive, like a Predator.
@@yaroslavbozhdynsky It definitely draws from Predator.
While striking and unique I'm not the only one who finds the more extreme examples unattractive.
So having no front grill was one of the things I was attracted to.
I love this kind of videos. It feels like a catchy class, and also giving the debit merit and respect to the people that deserve it
Glad you like it Gustavo :)
The Cybertruck is revolutionary. Like Bauhaus was in the early 20th century. It's fantastic, and very appealing. And I'd love to have one. As an engineer, I admire its form and function, where function and physics of material dictated form. When you look at modern architecture, it also is a slap to the organic face in design, straight edges, sharp angles, minimalist. Flies in the face of nature and organic shapes. The Cybertruck takes that to the road. One can't admire one while frown the same concept and philosophy to the other.
That's actually not the best comparison. You're focusing too much on outward appearance. Bauhaus tended to put form ahead of function. Just google "bauhaus teapot" to see some ergonomic nightmares. Really, the Cybertruck is closest to brutalism in terms of appearance and philosophy. Remember though, form and function are ALWAYS inextricably linked in any design...Not just with the Cybertruck. Even the swoopy organic Teslas are heavily driven by aerodynamics, crash safety, crumple zones, driving/handling, etc. etc. etc.
@@Design.Theory I'm an Architecture student and you took the words right out of my mouth lol. The first thing I thought when I saw the Cybertruck were Cyberpunk movies and set designs, which ironically included a ton of Brutalism Architecture from LeCorbusier and Louis Kahn.
Tesla has physical buttons for things you use frequently. Turn signals, wipers, volume, audio tuning, windows, opening the doors... I'm just curious as to what physical buttons people want? Tesla has auto climate and auto lights, and other various things can be done using voice commands. Also, the speed being more in your line of view on the top left of screen is so nice. Looking down through a steering wheel for your speed in traditional cars takes your eyes off the road. I can drive my Tesla without ever needing to touch the screen because everything you use is perfectly integrated or automatic.
Model S Plaid has entered the chat.
@4:24 Actually pulling the cowl point forward gives you a more narrow field of view as the A pillars are moving inward from the drivers perspective
This is by far my favorite Design channel on youtube! Great work, thank you sir!
Somebody else probably pointed it out but the reason why other autonomous cars have bulky sensors is simply because they use a different suite of them (generally, it’s LIDAR). Tesla uses more traditional stuff like ultrasonic, radar and cameras. They’re slowly progressing towards only using their cameras for autonomous driving.
Latest Teslas now use pure vision. No Lidar, no Radar, no Ultrasonics. Just multiple cameras and neural nets.
The Cybertruck is the result of engineering and first principles thinking, the triangle is the strongest shape, a reason why you don't need a gap between the cab and bed like a typical, weak, frame on body dinosaur.
Thanks for a very thought-provoking video. Perhaps Franz is the FLW of car designers - able to compromise whilst being true to his ideals.
the design is insanely derivative
I live in somewhat rural Washington State on the Olympic Peninsula, about 2+ hours from Seattle (with ferry rides) and Teslas are absolutely everywhere here, probably the most common vehicle (4 Runners are close...)
i shamelessly binge on your content ,, its so good man
The Cybertruck isn’t that large for a truck. The edges aren’t aren’t sharp in the sense that they can cut, so I don’t see what the safety issue is. It seems to me all of people aren’t used the harsh design, which instinctually makes them think it’s dangerous.
Visuals Visuals Visuals matter. Loved it.
The truck will dominate in the construction work space .I Can't wait till it comes to market. It will be a huge success!
I agree. The truck is great for tough environments. The stainless exoskeleton and cast aluminum base render it infinitely rebuild able. Municipalities will love it as well.
It will
I can’t help you with Cybertruck. The stainless steel exoskeleton is so hard it can’t be compound curves. I suspect it’s strength to weight will result in a great feeling truck that’s in a league of its own to drive and do work. We shall see!
Every time I walk up to my Model 3 I appreciate its beauty.
FYI, Franz, was the chief designer for the 2002 Chevrolet SS concept vehicle! He's very talented!
Can you look at Citroen please? I have a CX Prestige, it was the follow up of the Citroen DS. The SM and C6 are something to behold… and then theres the XM and other Bertone designs. Love your channel. Greetings from South Africa
Cybertruck is EVERYTHING about function. The most efficient, robust and utilitarian design a truck can have based on physics and first principles. To understand this in detail from an engineering standpoint, look at the three parts video series at the Connecting The Dots channel.
The 2030 and 2050 extrapolated grill designs for BMW gave me a big laugh. Well done!
Cybertruck is the coolest design I've ever seen. Have 2 on preorder.
Loved this video !! Amazing work. Thank you
I thought I would miss buttons too. I don't. The stuff I need is quickly available, and the rest is two taps. Plus the car drives itself so I can manage looking to touch things. The voice control helps too. So yeah, I don't miss the buttons. They just clutter the car.
Always a treat with your videos. Tesla knows how to market itself. Props to Holzhauzen for being the Ives of Tesla, you might say. Would still love your thoughts on the stratification of cars and how it differs to ICE cars from a design perspective, but might go too into marketing. Cybertruck video aged surprisingly well. Keep on rocking!
The new model 3 Highland is thought of as the best improvement on the car ever. The cybertruck is also out now and people have said that it is a dream to drive because of the steer by wire design. Many people who use it for living day to day will find the 120 and 240 electrical outlets very useful.
Cybertruck is the coolest vehicle I've ever seen I don't know how people don't like it, it's very futuristic an cyberpunk
New viewer, great content. Citing Raymond Loewy a special treat. All the best
Now that mass production of the Cyber Truck is about to commense (if it hasn't already) there is a clear difference between the first prototype and those that are being made now. All sightings have shown design tweaks to adress all the concerns brought up in this video. I think you should make another one on the Cybertruck!
The Final product has huge design problems and some of which could have been avoided. I'll give you one of many examples - The A pillar is one of the worst designs I have ever seen and will lead to many accidents from its lack of visibility. Their impractical wedge shape is part of the problem but look how thick it is compared to normal cars and trucks . At minimum they should have re-enforced the rigidity in other ways instead
I'm sold on the cybertruck because it's made of stainless steel and needs no paint. I don't want to worry about my adventure vehicle getting scratched or rusty, especially if I spent over 70K for it. One of several reasons why rivian has never appealed to me.
The voice command button eliminates the need for on-screen buttons.
Re minimalistic design we should remember Dieter Rams.
About the Cybertruck, your critic is good and welcome. So we can say, even with this design there is still a high demand for this vehicle. On the top i would have put a horizontal part. But so manufacturing is more easy. And this - without paint and stainless steel - could become the masterpiece in low manufacturing expenses but an extremely high quality vehicle.
Your views on Cybertruk will not age well, but I applaud you for sticking to them. 👍🏼
Franz rocks. Saw model s plaid few days, could not stop looking at it lol. Spaceship
If you think the Cybertruck is sympbolic of a post-apocalyptic future, that's an image problem. But images can be changed. Maybe the thing is to create new images to attach to this product. I'm sure many will try very hard to do that.
Cyber truck is awesome. Tesla is accelerating away from all current car makers in every way. Surfs up dude!
The Cybertruck stuff is just bizarre. It's not a meme, it is DEFINITELY going to be a product (next summer, production starts). And it was engineered, not designed.
Great episode brother!
Can’t believe I only just found your channel! Nice work sir!
I appreciate you checking it out✨
Coming from the future, the CyberTruck is outselling all of its electric truck competition. Hard edges aren't an issue for certifying a truck because it's a truck. The massive flat fronts on every other trucks are much more dangerous for pedestrians than the lower hood height of the CyberTruck - not to mention the greatly reduced frontover area for a better view of what's directly in front.
Great video, well explained and well thought through!
I get the criticisms about the cyber truck. It is massive , especially for other markets outside of the US . I'm in Australia and I think they will need to change laws to get it in our market. The sharp edges do look dangerous as well I'm not sure if stainless steel crumples well. While the massive positive for me is it is just so out there that I love it. I want to be driving a car from the future now. I'm just so bored with what I see around me in what's available. It just all looks the same. So bring on the cyber truck please 🙏
The grill has become a skeuomorphic aesthetic
If they are removing the grill then make the car smoother or change the front appearance because it seems like something is missing out
im not a Tesla fanboy at all but the Model S is such a good design, it took a LONG time for it to have any competition looks-wise
"People don't know what they want until you show it to them." Steve Jobs
“Business has only two functions - marketing and innovation.” - Peter Drucker
In terms of proportions, the Tesla Model S has some features that made it look 20 years *older* than contemporary gas powered cars, with the low hoodline calling to mind '80s and '90s Hondas and similar cars that had hood and fender lines just high enough to clear the suspension and valve cover (indeed they could be lower still than the Model S's hood--pop-up headlights were not just a gimmick, they were necessary with very low hoodlines to allow the lights to be high enough to be practical). Now there are regulations about clearance between the hood and engine so the hood can deform if the car strikes a pedestrian to reduce the impact force of the victim falling on the hood, so ICE cars cannot have front ends like that anymore. I would expect that the forced induction systems and sound-deadening engine covers used today also increase the height of the engine, raising hoodlines of ICE cars even more.
Amazing video ! I subscribed because of this great clip !
I am seeing lots of Rivian trucks all over my home city. They are beautiful and people love them. Rivian has brought working electric trucks to market years before Tesla. They now have have the first to market advantage. They also have the advantage of having a CEO who is not as controversial. In fact, he seems sane.
Configuring Covid and the current war in the Ukraine with the Cyber truck short circuited my brain. I was with you until then. You just sounded crazed.
The grill almost had me rolling on the floor.
13:45 how do people not think of Tesla's as American cars? they're the most American car out there lol
Love the BMW grill evolution.
Pretty sure the sensors aren't behind any aluminum. They have plastic bits the sensors are behind AFAIK. And as a sidenote, they're taking sensors out of the equation soon in software, making ncertain functions unavailable for a while. Interesting...
Excellent report.
4:05 I don't understand this part. The A-pillar is on the same place as in any other inner combustion engine vehicle. Even more - there is enough space under the hood to install a V8 engine and you can find videos of people doing so. The only thing that shows that this is an EV is absence of the front grill and exhaust pipes. The reason the A-pillar was installed further then they could is because it looks better (at least I think so). There is a video on UA-cam about the fundamentals of car design and it basically says, if you want your car look better, sportier, and more premium - move an A-pillar further, otherwise the car looks somewhat strange - Mercedes EQS is a good example of that.
Although Tesla Model S design is really good and stayed fresh for a long time, I need to reply on some of your statements:
- as you mentioned, Model S design draws inspiration from various other car designs. In that regard, it’s far from original. It’s a great, balanced design, having a nice road presence (latter statement doesn’t apply to Model 3 though). But it’s rather unoriginal and from some perspectives even slightly generic.
For me, a true highlight of Model S design is the best integration of aerodynamic shape and classical sexy proportions I’ve seen in a mainstream, 4 door car. I’m not talking “Ferrari aerodynamics” but a true practical shape Toyota Prius is known for, which is now common to all EVs. In Tesla Model S, it doesn’t look like a plain chase of efficiency, it looks like a planned and desired shape. Which goes perfectly with your observation that Elon wanted to create eco-friendly, but still exciting and emotional product.
-Highlights of the design you mentioned as unique to the EV architecture, are far from the truth. For example, low front is something a lot of ICE cars have, even front engined ones, especially Japanese cars from 90s. Even original BMW 8 is proudly sporting low slung, wedged shape.
- Model S doesn’t have “glasshouse pushed waaay forwards” making use of the EV architecture. Quite opposite, it’s much more conventional looking car, one might believe it could be an ICE car from the design itself. Lot of other EVs and ICEs like minivans have greenhouse pushed extremely forward chasing the practicality and efficiency. But Tesla with Model S wanted to make a car that doesn’t look too alien, rather a sexy car in conventional regard.
- Before the facelift, Model S also had a fake front fascia, so the original design wasn’t revolutionary in that regard as well.
- Freshness of their design is partly due to the good design itself, but partly because we’re yet to see a true 2nd generation of their models. Cars tend to look out of date as soon as a new model arrives. Of course, not all cars, for example Porsche, Aston Martin… cultivate great design and incremental changes, but a lot of mainstream cars do.
- interior, apart from quality issues, is rather uninspiring and in some regards bad example of minimalistic design. Sitting in rear seats, you’re presented with the ultimate blandness, not a single unique design feature. You have a door handle, a vent and a view of the bland seat backs. But most importantly, in effort to make an unique design which will be talked about, they unknowingly started one of the worst trends in modern car design: removal of physical buttons and integration of important functions on screens. It’s not only missing a satisfactory tactile feedback, but is a safety hazard as well, which for me is a true example of “show before function”
Cybertruck reminds me of my DeLorean, beautiful. One look at how many preorders Tesla got for it proves the design was genius in terms of grabbing public interest.
A delorean is quite literally my dream car. While on the surface the cybertruck and delorean have a lot of commonalities, I think there are vast differences in terms of execution.
@@Design.Theory The DeLorean was great fun. The car snagged people's attention from it's sleek lines, to the louvered rear windows and it's magical gullwing doors. It had a wide panoramic front window, super comfy and supportive seats, and absolute stability on the road. It gave real meaning to the phrase "It corners like it's on rails". On the downside, the tiny openable slot in the door windows, the problems with its reverse gear not operating smoothly and lack of any significant usable storage space made it an impractical vehicle for day to day use. We loved it, anyway!
Voice controls work. Buttons would be redundant. Non Tesla owners don’t realize how easy voice commands are.
Love my model 3 and enjoy the drive. The style for all models is clean and stands out. Never boring. I believe the designs are good for many years to come without being outdated opposite of kias and Hyundai that copy bits and pieces from different companies and flood the market with so many models and designs that are just overwhelmed with lines and curves that make them boring after a short time. Kudos to the designers and engineers of Tesla.
Touch screen < physical buttons < voice control
Glad you’re back!
Thanks for checking out the vid !
Good video. There's a mistake though, cars with driving assists (you show a waymo one on screen) have sensors on the outside, but those are LiDAR sensors that teslas do not have at all
No radar or even ultra sound sensors now. All in on VISION and neural networks just like humans.
@@Mrbfgray I think that's incorrect. Humans also have hearing, memory, heavily contextualized prexisiting knowledge, etc.... IN THEORY all you need is vision and very advanced AI. IN PRACTICE we don't have that yet (not for a long while) and marketing yourself as if you already do is dishonest if you ask me
Love your channel - Thanks for representing the design community - you should broadcast for the IDSA
I drive model 3 and I fell in love with my car everyday
I was actually disappointed by the Model 3 design when it was revealed because I expected an old Model S in small.
But nowadays I own a Model 3 myself and really appreciate its design.
Hate touch screens for car controls. Waiting for this fad to be over.