Tesla’s exterior and interior design elements are unlike other cars on the market. Save for the pre-facelift Model S and the original Roadster, all of Tesla’s vehicles have no grille, giving the current-gen Model S, Model X, and Model 3 a look that notably different compared to traditional automobiles. The interiors of Tesla’s electric cars are even more unique. Unapologetically minimalistic, Tesla’s interiors are centered on bleeding-edge tech and sustainability.
These unique elements make Teslas stand out from the crowd of competitors from traditional automakers like Lexus and BMW. At the same time, it also makes the designs of the company’s vehicles incredibly polarizing. Among the auto community, it is just as easy to find reviewers who rave about Tesla’s exterior and interior design as it is to find those that find them downright offensive.
Top Gear host Chris Harris, for example, loved the Model 3 Performance’s instant acceleration and track capability, but he was notably critical of the vehicle’s exterior styling, fondly remarking that the all-electric sedan was an “AK-47 disguised as a butter knife” in his review. It is also pretty common to see noted reviewers of premium electric cars such as the Jaguar I-PACE compare the British crossover’s plush interior favorably to the Model 3’s spaceship-like cabin.
Yet, if the results of the Q2 2019 Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch are an indication, it appears that a notable number of luxury car buyers are actually starting to prefer the clean lines and minimalist themes of Tesla’s electric cars over more conventional accents found in traditional luxury automobiles. KBB’s survey ranked automakers according to 12 categories that ranged from safety to prestige. Tesla dominated the list, ranking first in seven out of the list’s 12 categories.
Some of the categories that Tesla topped were pretty unsurprising, such as Technology and Driving Performance, as these are aspects that the electric car company is known for. What is surprising was the fact that Tesla was also the first-ranked brand for Exterior Styling, beating Audi and Porsche in the process. Tesla’s Interior Layout also ranked first in KBB’s rankings, placing the company above Acura and Genesis.
These results bode well for Tesla and its approach to vehicle design. They do, for one, hint that consumers might be starting to relate clean exterior lines and minimalist interior themes to luxury. This is especially notable considering that the respondents of KBB’s survey are shopping in the luxury car segment, which suggests that they are familiar with the expected flourishes of conventional premium vehicles from veteran brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
When Tesla Chief of Design Franz von Holzhausen designed the Model S, he opted to create a vehicle that is unapologetically electric that still looks recognizable as a car. This theme has been followed in every vehicle that Tesla has released to date, from the Model X to the Tesla Semi. Tesla’s designs will likely remain polarizing for years to come, especially among conventional auto enthusiasts. But considering the results of KBB’s study, a shift among luxury vehicle consumers appears to be happening, and winds could very well be blowing in Tesla’s favor.
Elon Musk
SpaceX secures win as US labor board drops oversight case
The NLRB confirmed that it no longer has jurisdiction over SpaceX.
SpaceX scored a legal victory after the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decided to dismiss a case which accused the company of terminating engineers who were involved in an open letter against founder Elon Musk.
The NLRB confirmed that it no longer has jurisdiction over SpaceX. The update was initially shared by Bloomberg News, which cited a letter about the matter it reportedly reviewed.
In a letter to the former employees’ lawyers, the labor board stated that the affected employees were under the jurisdiction of the National Mediation Board (NMB), not the NLRB. As a result, the labor board stated that it was dismissing the case.
As per Danielle Pierce, a regional director of the agency, “the National Labor Relations Board lacks jurisdiction over the Employer and, therefore, I am dismissing your charge.”
The NMB typically oversees airlines and railroads. The NLRB, on the other hand, covers most private-sector employers, as well as manufacturers such as Boeing.
The former SpaceX engineers have argued that the private space company did not belong under the NMB’s jurisdiction because SpaceX only offers services to “hand-picked customers.”
In an opinion, however, the NMB stated that SpaceX was under its jurisdiction because “space transport includes air travel” to get to outer space. The mediation board also noted that anyone can contact SpaceX to secure its services.
SpaceX had previously challenged the NLRB’s authority in court, arguing that the agency’s structure was unconstitutional. Jennifer Abruzzo, the NLRB general counsel under former United States President Joe Biden, rejected SpaceX’s claims. Following Abruzzo’s termination under the Trump administration, however, SpaceX asked the labor board to reconsider its arguments.
SpaceX is not the only company that has challenged the constitutionality of the NLRB. Since SpaceX filed its legal challenge against the agency in 2024, other high-profile companies have followed suit. These include Amazon, which has filed similar cases that are now pending.
News
Tesla accuses IG Metall member of secretly recording Giga Berlin meeting
The union has denied the electric vehicle maker’s allegations.
Police seized the computer of an IG Metall member at Tesla Giga Berlin on Tuesday amid allegations that a works council meeting was secretly recorded.
The union has denied the electric vehicle maker’s allegations.
In a post on X, Gigafactory Berlin plant manager André Thierig stated that an external union representative from IG Metall attended a works council meeting and allegedly recorded the session. Thierig described the event as “truly beyond words.”
“What has happened today at Giga Berlin is truly beyond words! An external union representative from IG Metall attended a works council meeting. For unknown reasons he recorded the internal meeting and was caught in action! We obviously called police and filed a criminal complaint!” Thierig wrote in his post on X.
Police later confirmed to local news outlet rbb24 that officers did seize a computer belonging to an IG Metall member at the Giga Berlin site on Tuesday afternoon. Tesla stated that employees had contacted authorities after discovering the alleged recording.
IG Metall denied Tesla’s accusations, arguing that its representative did not record the meeting. The union alleged that Tesla’s claim was simply a tactic ahead of upcoming works council elections.
The next works council election at Giga Berlin is scheduled for March 2 to 4, 2026. The facility’s management had confirmed the dates to local news outlets. The official announcement marks the start of the election process and campaign period.
Approximately 11,000 employees are eligible to participate in the vote.
The previous works council election at the plant took place in 2024, and it was triggered by a notable increase in workforce size. Under German labor law, regular works council elections must be held every four years between March 1 and May 31.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s xAI plants flag in Bellevue AI hotspot
The lease places xAI’s new office in one of the region’s fastest-growing tech hubs.
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI has leased a full floor at Lincoln Square South in downtown Bellevue, WA, as per city permit filings.
The lease places xAI’s new office in one of the region’s fastest-growing tech hubs.
Public records indicate that xAI leased roughly 24,800 square feet in Lincoln Square South. The location was previously occupied by video game company Epic Games. Lincoln Square South is part of the Bellevue Collection, which is owned by Kemper Development Co.
The lease was first referenced in January by commercial real estate firm Broderick Group, which noted that an unnamed tenant had secured the space, as stated in a report from the Puget Sound Business Journal. Later filings identified xAI as the occupant for the space.
xAI has not publicly commented on the lease.
xAI hinted at plans to open an office in the Seattle area back in September, when the startup posted job openings with salaries ranging from $180,000 to $440,000. At the time, the company had narrowed its location search to cities on the Eastside but had not finalized a lease.
xAI’s Bellevue expansion comes as Musk continues consolidating his businesses. Last week, SpaceX acquired xAI in a deal that valued the artificial intelligence startup at $250 billion. SpaceX itself is now valued at roughly $1.25 trillion and is expected to pursue an initial public offering (IPO) later this year.
Musk already has a significant presence in the region through SpaceX, which employs about 2,000 workers locally. That initiative, however, is focused largely on Starlink satellite development.
Bellevue has increasingly become a center for artificial intelligence companies. OpenAI has expanded its local office footprint to nearly 300,000 square feet. Data infrastructure firms such as Crusoe and CoreWeave have also established offices downtown.
SpaceX secures win as US labor board drops oversight case
Tesla accuses IG Metall member of secretly recording Giga Berlin meeting
