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How Tesla capitalizes on four components of great consumer experience
Tesla may have the edge over other automakers as they make the transition to autonomous vehicles, machine learning, and cloud-based engineering. That’s because Tesla doesn’t sacrifice the thrill of driving for the ease and entertainment of mobility technology.
A new study by Group XP indicates that automakers may be failing to maintain relevance as consumer expectations turn to constant influxes of fresh engagement moments. The report, which was produced by a partnership among Brand Union, FITCH, SET, and SET Live, explores innovations in design, connectivity, and service as the key imperatives that prompt success for mobility brands. The consulting group says that consumers today feel that their lives are defined by experiences, and now, more than ever in our consumer-driven society, people are as demanding of an experience as they are of a purchase.
Businesses that have responded to this shift in expectation are flourishing, and automakers who fail to produce a vehicle that helps consumers “completely re-imagine the process of how we get from A to B” may fall significantly behind in the industry. With cars projected to transform “from being single-serving modes of transport into hyper-customizable, seamless extensions of living space,” an automaker like Tesla has been well ahead of others with its all-electric car’s visual appeal, the company’s fervent fanbase, the records for performance and quality, and for technology innovations like the Autopilot function.
How does Tesla perform according to four components of great experience brands?
The Group XP Experience Index ranks what has been called the most important marketing metric going forward: Share of Experience. Let’s see how Tesla performs.
They must stand for something unique. Tesla has never been just a carmaker, and its broad business goals make it stand apart from other automakers. The company will “build the machines that build the machine” through Gigafactory 1 in Nevada. It is a company that also builds Supercharger networks, solar roofs, battery packs for residences and businesses, and maybe even tunnel boring. No other automaker has the extensive business outreach of Tesla.
Aerial photos of Gigafactory 1 from March, 2017 reveal newly completed sections
They must deliver on our most important needs. In our high tech and often stress-filled society, people crave reliability and simplicity alongside careful construction and design. Consumers want to turn to a company that has mastered faultless execution to become a default platform brand that inspires and returns trust. Tesla knows and respects the needs of its customers and creates relationships that are amazingly personal for such a huge company. Part of that relationship-building comes from delivering a product that is exceptional in the marketplace and assertively visionary. It also offers a car that retains the traditional desired elements of suspension, acceleration, and torque.
They must provide us with exemplary content. Tesla’s user interface revolutionized the way that drivers interact with an automobile. Instead of a traditional reliance on analog buttons and switches, Tesla has provided its customers with an incredibly different interior design. Their approach has had a disruptive influence on the auto industry. The 17″ center stack touchscreen, “Easter eggs” that spark curiosity, an operating system that gets frequent wireless updates, frequently upgraded Autopilot system: all provide Tesla customers with a level of content they’ve come to expect from their smartphones.
Tesla Easter Egg transforms the vehicle into the James Bond 007 Submarine
They must utilize a higher brand purpose to make all of our future lives better. The overarching purpose of Tesla has always been to “help expedite the move from a mine-and-burn hydrocarbon economy towards a solar electric economy” as a primary sustainable solution to the planet’s warming. A Tesla driver who travels less than 350 miles per week is “energy positive” with respect to personal transportation, actually putting more energy back into the system than is consumed in transportation. Tesla co-markets sustainable energy products from other companies along with their car. All of these and more create a company who business model exceeds profitability and will have a lasting impact on our world.
As transportation becomes less intrusive, some automotive brands risk innovating themselves out of the brand equity due to their inability to meet the four elements of shared experience that today’s customers expect. Tesla, instead of adapting a metal exterior to a series of tech applications, has integrated sustainability into performance and identity. It’s an equation that other automakers are hurrying to emulate.
Elon Musk
Tesla Megapack powers $1.1B AI data center project in Brazil
By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.
Tesla’s Megapack battery systems will be deployed as part of a 400MW AI data center campus in Uberlândia, Brazil. The initiative is described as one of Latin America’s largest AI infrastructure projects.
The project is being led by RT-One, which confirmed that the facility will integrate Tesla Megapack battery energy storage systems (BESS) as part of a broader industrial alliance that includes Hitachi Energy, Siemens, ABB, HIMOINSA, and Schneider Electric. The project is backed by more than R$6 billion (approximately $1.1 billion) in private capital.
According to RT-One, the data center is designed to operate on 100% renewable energy while also reinforcing regional grid stability.
“Brazil generates abundant energy, particularly from renewable sources such as solar and wind. However, high renewable penetration can create grid stability challenges,” RT-One President Fernando Palamone noted in a post on LinkedIn. “Managing this imbalance is one of the country’s growing infrastructure priorities.”
By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.
“The facility will be capable of absorbing excess electricity when supply is high and providing stabilization services when the grid requires additional support. This approach enhances resilience, improves reliability, and contributes to a more efficient use of renewable generation,” Palamone added.
The model mirrors approaches used in energy-intensive regions such as California and Texas, where large battery systems help manage fluctuations tied to renewable energy generation.
The RT-One President recently visited Tesla’s Megafactory in Lathrop, California, where Megapacks are produced, as part of establishing the partnership. He thanked the Tesla team, including Marcel Dall Pai, Nicholas Reale, and Sean Jones, for supporting the collaboration in his LinkedIn post.
Elon Musk
Starlink powers Europe’s first satellite-to-phone service with O2 partnership
The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools.
Starlink is now powering Europe’s first commercial satellite-to-smartphone service, as Virgin Media O2 launches a space-based mobile data offering across the UK.
The new O2 Satellite service uses Starlink’s low-Earth orbit network to connect regular smartphones in areas without terrestrial coverage, expanding O2’s reach from 89% to 95% of Britain’s landmass.
Under the rollout, compatible Samsung devices automatically connect to Starlink satellites when users move beyond traditional mobile coverage, according to Reuters.
The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools. O2 is pricing the add-on at £3 per month.
By leveraging Starlink’s satellite infrastructure, O2 can deliver connectivity in remote and rural regions without building additional ground towers. The move represents another step in Starlink’s push beyond fixed broadband and into direct-to-device mobile services.
Virgin Media O2 chief executive Lutz Schuler shared his thoughts about the Starlink partnership. “By launching O2 Satellite, we’ve become the first operator in Europe to launch a space-based mobile data service that, overnight, has brought new mobile coverage to an area around two-thirds the size of Wales for the first time,” he said.
Satellite-based mobile connectivity is gaining traction globally. In the U.S., T-Mobile has launched a similar satellite-to-cell offering. Meanwhile, Vodafone has conducted satellite video call tests through its partnership with AST SpaceMobile last year.
For Starlink, the O2 agreement highlights how its network is increasingly being integrated into national telecom systems, enabling standard smartphones to connect directly to satellites without specialized hardware.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s Starbase, TX included in $84.6 million coastal funding round
The funds mark another step in the state’s ongoing beach restoration and resilience efforts along the Gulf Coast.
Elon Musk’s Starbase, Texas has been included in an $84.6 million coastal funding round announced by the Texas General Land Office (GLO). The funds mark another step in the state’s ongoing beach restoration and resilience efforts along the Gulf Coast.
Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham confirmed that 14 coastal counties will receive funding through the Coastal Management Program (CMP) Grant Cycle 31 and Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Act (CEPRA) program Cycle 14. Among the Brownsville-area recipients listed was the City of Starbase, which is home to SpaceX’s Starship factory.
“As someone who spent more than a decade living on the Texas coast, ensuring our communities, wildlife, and their habitats are safe and thriving is of utmost importance. I am honored to bring this much-needed funding to our coastal communities for these beneficial projects,” Commissioner Buckingham said in a press release.
“By dedicating this crucial assistance to these impactful projects, the GLO is ensuring our Texas coast will continue to thrive and remain resilient for generations to come.”
The official Starbase account acknowledged the support in a post on X, writing: “Coastal resilience takes teamwork. We appreciate @TXGLO and Commissioner Dawn Buckingham for their continued support of beach restoration projects in Starbase.”
The funding will support a range of coastal initiatives, including beach nourishment, dune restoration, shoreline stabilization, habitat restoration, and water quality improvements.
CMP projects are backed by funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, alongside local partner matches. CEPRA projects focus specifically on reducing coastal erosion and are funded through allocations from the Texas Legislature, the Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax, and GOMESA.
Checks were presented in Corpus Christi and Brownsville to counties, municipalities, universities, and conservation groups. In addition to Starbase, Brownsville-area recipients included Cameron County, the City of South Padre Island, Willacy County, and the Willacy County Navigation District.
Tesla Megapack powers $1.1B AI data center project in Brazil
Starlink powers Europe’s first satellite-to-phone service with O2 partnership
