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How does Tesla’s web presence compare to its competitors?

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The internet is one of the first places car buyers go when researching electric vehicles. Tesla dominates the market, but they aren’t without competition. Those competitors are going to do everything possible not only to keep up with Tesla’s products, but also try to grab as much web real estate, search traffic, and clicks as possible.

So how does Tesla stack up against its competitors when it comes to web presence? Let’s find out:

Tesla on the Internet

First let’s look at Tesla’s online world, and then we’ll check out the rest. Right away Tesla has a huge advantage thanks in large part to charismatic CEO Elon Musk. Even people who aren’t interested in cars consider him a household name. Nearly anything he says or does captures headlines and gets people talking. Tesla gets entire articles written about them on the largest publishers in the world from Musk’s individual tweets, which helps them dominate the blogosphere when it comes to news. Can you name a CEO of any other company that has such a strong presence? If you’re a regular consumer, probably not.

That high level of familiarity extends to social media, too, in large part because Musk writes his own tweets and has over five million followers. On Facebook, fans can click a link to design their dream Tesla or look through a variety of relevant content, ranging from news stories to videos. The brand’s Instagram channel, which has over a million followers, features hundreds of inspiring photos.

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Interestingly, Tesla’s website itself doesn’t have a social media section, which is it’s one downfall. It’s very clean and modern, and uses colors similar to apple.com.

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Having a rockstar-type CEO means Tesla’s competitors have their online work cut out for them. Let’s look at how their competitors market their electronic models on the Web.

General Motors

Maker of the Chevy Bolt, General Motors largely relies on external media outlets to spread the word about its car. Cruise Automation, an autonomous car technology company acquired by General Motors, released a snapshot of the self-driving car cruising around San Francisco.

Soon afterward, Mashable picked up the story, along with other news outlets. Details were scarce, but the picture sparked curiosity. It certainly didn’t create the buzz of Tesla.

Chevy has tried extremely and possibly too hard at using the internet to reach millennials. It spent an entire campaign based around emoji’s, which seemed forced and out of touch. Can you sit through this entire commercial without being embarrassed for them?

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With the Bolt though, things may finally be heading in the right direction for them. Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak just announced yesterday that he’s ditching his Tesla for the Bolt. In the online world, that’s a big deal, and is already starting to grab headlines. A Google search for his name right now shows up more articles about his choice of car than about the hugely newsworthy iPhone 7 announcement.

Nissan

2016_nissan_leaf_electric_carNissan made a smart move by creating social media accounts specifically for the Leaf, its electric vehicle, so interested purchasers could get targeted information. There are designated Nissan Leaf channels on Facebook and Twitter, each with new content posted least daily. Topics vary, from tips for finding fellow electric car enthusiasts in your area to funny pictures viewers can caption.

Their actual website isn’t nearly as nice, and uses a few large images that don’t make much sense. For example, one of the first things you see is a huge image of the rear windshield.

BMW

The i3 is BMW’s contribution to the electric car market. During the 2015 Super Bowl, the company put a commercial online that offered a dose of nostalgia. Featuring Katie Couric and Bryant Gumbel, the spot played off of the pair’s famous “What is the internet?” segment, which aired on the “Today” show in 1994.

The modern commercial suggested that similarly to the internet, the BMW i3 would change society’s perception of what’s possible. Twitter followers responded especially well, praising the ad for the way it was different from the typical male-centric Super Bowl commercial and made them think of days past.

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Unlike Nissan, BMW hasn’t created specific social media profiles for the i3. However, it has one of the earliest forms of social media — a message board. The Circuit is a forum for i3 owners and enthusiasts. Although the approach makes sense, the message board isn’t often used and has just over a couple hundred posts in its most popular section.

Ford and Google

True to form, Elon Musk wowed consumers by discussing ongoing work related to Tesla’s fully autonomous car. Musk asserts the technology will be ready well before regulators approve it for public use. Even in these early stages, he confidently talks about how impressed he is about the technology so far.

Musk’s words came as no surprise to Google and Ford, as those companies plan to compete with Tesla. At the end of last year, the two companies said they’d come together to engineer self-driving cars.

Ford has one of the most impressive websites, but because they have so much to offer, the spotlight doesn’t reach anything electric very often. They’re one to keep an eye on for the future.

Mercedes

Last month, Mercedes attracted attention on the internet by publicizing plans to directly challenge Tesla and other electric car brands by creating a to-be-named sub brand of electric vehicles that’ll include a minimum of two SUVs and two sedans. Earlier, the brand promoted its AA class of electric vehicles with a memorable “Saturday Night Live” spoof featuring Julia Louis-Dreyfus. It originated on TV but got significant online traction through social sharing.

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The brand will reportedly showcase the first of its new electric vehicles at a Parisian auto show soon. Only time will tell whether Mercedes can truly pose a threat to Tesla, but the brand’s already created a buzz through online news articles about its upcoming offerings posted on well-known sites such as TechCrunch and Bloomberg.

Audi

You might say Audi is the least-likely Tesla challenger since it doesn’t have a fully electric vehicle yet. Even so, automotive media outlets report the company may be testing an electric version of its A7. Pictures of a prototype show a car without exhaust tips, which could indicate an emissions-free design.

Beyond the potential electric version of the A7, Audi will release an electric SUV in 2018. The A7 snapshots have drawn attention online because some media outlets specifically focused on how the pictures might show sneak peeks of electric car technology. They also point out how Audi’s hybrid cars have charging ports behind the front grilles and speculate how it’d be easy to install them on the A7, too.

Audi has generalized social media profiles and those related to the brand’s racing vehicles. It might capitalize upon current electric vehicle interest and branch out further by creating profiles for those cars, too.

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While their competitors are on the right track, Tesla remains a formidable online marketing force. It probably helps that Tesla has stayed on track for making electric, driverless cars while the other brands mentioned have numerous other goals. They’ve all taken good first steps but have a long way to go before reaching Tesla’s level.

Owner of Off The Throttle. Writes about cars for Forbes, Yahoo Autos, Business Insider, more. Slightly colorblind.

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Tesla Semi futuristic sci-fi acceleration sound will never get old

Videos that capture the Semi moving at speed are most notable due to their sheer cool factor.

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Credit: Tesla Owners Silicon Valley/X

The Tesla Semi is not yet in mass production, but the company has accumulated over 7.9 million miles across its test fleet. With Tesla using the Semi for its operations, it is no surprise that sightings of the Class 8 all-electric truck have been abounding. 

These sightings from Tesla enthusiasts vary, but those that capture the the Class 8 all-electric truck moving at speed are most notable, possibly due to their sheer cool factor.

Tesla Semi’s Roar

There is something that just stands out with the Semi, particularly on the road. While the Semi does not have the Cybertruck’s brutalist, angular design, it is still very striking because it’s such a massive machine that moves far too quietly for its size. This is, of course, one of the reasons why the vehicle also becomes extra noteworthy when it fires up its electric motors and accelerates.

Take this video from Tesla Owners Silicon Valley, for example, which shows the all-electric hauler accelerating while pulling what appears to be a full load. In these situations, the Tesla Semi actually becomes audible, but unlike traditional diesel-powered truck, the Class 8 all-electric truck “roars” with its own, unique futuristic, sci-fi sound. In such situations, one could feel the Semi’s raw power, which comes from its three independent motors on its rear axles.

Tesla Semi Ramp

Tesla has been promoting the Semi quite a bit as of late, and recent reports have suggested that the company is putting in a lot of effort to prepare the vehicle for its production in Nevada. Tesla’s Careers website has gone live with over 80 Semi-related job openings recently as well, and a recent report has suggested that Tesla has ramped the Semi’s factory workers in Nevada to over 1,000 employees.

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The company has even shared an update video of the Semi factory’s progress near Giga Nevada, as well as the design of the vehicle’s new logo. The Semi’s updated logo is quite interesting as it features elements from the Tesla Model 3’s first logo, which was unveiled way back in 2016.

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Elon Musk jokes he will join Mr Beast’s “100 Men vs 1 Gorilla” challenge

It’s a good sign, if any, that the overworked Musk is becoming a bit more lighthearted again.

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Credit: Elon Musk/X

Following the first quarter Tesla earnings call, CEO Elon Musk seems to have become a bit more relaxed—relaxed enough to joke about fighting a gorilla with 99 other people, at least.

It’s a good sign, if any, that the overworked Musk is becoming a bit more lighthearted again and not too busy picking fights with politicians on social media.

The Viral 100 Men vs 1 Gorilla Challenge

Over the weekend, a post on social media platform X went viral. The post itself was quite simple, with user @DreamChasnMike stating that he thinks 100 men could beat one gorilla. “Everybody just gotta be dedicated to the sh*t,” the X user joked. The post exploded on the platform, garnering 284 million impressions as of writing.

The silly question also triggered a massive debate about whether 100 men would really stand a chance against a literal gorilla. Some users even lamented that the premise was a sign of male hubris. Nevertheless, the question proved to be a fun topic on X, with some more dedicated users even posting simulated videos of what the “100 Men vs 1 Gorilla Challenge” could look like. 

Mr. Beast and Elon Musk Join In

The premise is quite similar to other viral videos from noted YouTube creator Mr. Beast, so it was no surprise that edited images of Mr. Beast YouTube thumbnails with “100 Men vs a Gorilla” also started spreading on the social media platform. Mr. Beast, who tends to be game to such silly ideas, actually reposted the edited image, joking “Need 100 men to test this, any volunteers?”

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In true Elon Musk fashion, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO noted that he would join the challenge. “Sure, what’s the worst that could happen” Musk wrote in his post on X. Musk’s reply triggered quite a few laughs on X, with some stating that the world probably still needs the CEO.

While silly, Musk’s comment and his recent, more frequent posts about his companies’ products like Starlink and Grok have been received well by his supporters. Over the past months, after all, Musk has been very political and quite confrontational on social media. With Musk soon taking a step back from the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) daily operations, however, it seems like X will soon get a more tempered and lighthearted Elon Musk once more.

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Possible first glimpse of Tesla “Model 2” affordable car in Fremont Factory

The models that Tesla will release in the coming months will resemble the company’s current lineup.

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Image Credit: @metgodinwilderness7130/YouTube

During the Q1 earnings call, Tesla VP of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy set expectations on the design of the affordable models that the company is expected to launch this 2025. As per the Tesla executive, the models that Tesla will release in the coming months will resemble the company’s current lineup.

Drone footage from the Fremont Factory earlier this month might have provided the EV community its first potential glimpse at Tesla’s affordable cars–fondly dubbed by EV fans and analysts as the “Model 2” or even “Model Q”–or at least their components and overall shape.

The Sighting

Tesla watcher and drone operator Met God in Wilderness, who has been posting aerial videos of the Fremont Factory for years now, recently shared some footage from his drone flyovers this month. While the Fremont Factory was abuzz with activity as usual, a couple of rather strange vehicles were quickly spotted by EV watchers on social media.

During the drone operator’s flyover on the 17th, for example, an unfinished vehicle could be seen parked next to what appeared to be fully-built Model S and Model Y units. What was especially interesting was the vehicle’s roof, which seemed to be slightly narrower than the Model Ys around it. Based on the video, at least, the vehicle seemed to be shaped like a crossover as well.

Footage from the 24th of April also proved quite interesting, with the drone operator capturing footage of another cryptic vehicle. Unlike the mysterious, unfinished, crossover-esque car spotted on the 17th, this particular unit seemed to have a more sloping rear, at least based on the shape of its covering.

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What Lars Moravy Said

In Tesla’s Q1 2025 Update Letter, Tesla noted that “plans for new vehicles, including more affordable models, remain on track for start of production in the first half of 2025.” Tesla also noted that the new vehicles will utilize aspects of its next generation and its current platforms. They will also be produced on the same manufacturing lines as its present vehicle lineup, likely the Model Y and Model 3. 

During the earnings call itself, Moravy specifically stated that the new models that would come out in the next months would resemble the company’s current vehicles. They will, however, be affordable. “Models that come out in next months will be built on our lines and will resemble, in form and shape, the cars we currently make. And the key is that they’ll be affordable, and you’ll be able to buy one,” Moravy stated.

Watch the drone operator’s footage from April 17 below.

The drone operator’s footage from April 24 can be viewed below.

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