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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.
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.
Elon Musk
SpaceX blocks unauthorized Starlink terminals used by Russian troops
Ukrainian officials confirmed that Starlink terminals believed to be used by Russian troops were disabled after coordination with SpaceX.
SpaceX has taken steps to block unauthorized use of its Starlink satellite internet network, a move Ukrainian officials stated is already disrupting Russian military communications.
Russian units lose a key communications tool
As per a report from The Guardian, Ukrainian defense officials have confirmed that Starlink terminals believed to be used by Russian troops were recently disabled after coordination with SpaceX. The move reportedly affected frontline communications and drone operations, especially in areas where traditional military radios are unreliable or easily jammed.
For months, Russian units had relied on large numbers of illicitly obtained Starlink terminals to stay connected along the front. The satellite internet service allowed faster coordination and more precise drone use for Russian forces.
Several Russian military bloggers close to frontline units have acknowledged the impact of the Starlink shutdown, with some describing sudden connectivity problems in the satellite internet service.
Russia lacks comparable replacement
Russia does not have a satellite internet system that matches Starlink’s speed, coverage, and ease of deployment. Alternatives such as fiber-optic lines, short-range wireless links, and digital radio systems take longer to install and work inadequately for fast-moving units.
Russia does operate limited satellite communications through state-linked providers, but those systems rely mainly on geostationary satellites, which are notably slower. Coverage is uneven, and data capacity is far lower than Starlink’s low-Earth-orbit network.
For now, Ukraine has stated that it has introduced a verification system that allows only approved Starlink terminals to connect. Devices believed to be linked to Russian forces are blocked from the network. That being said, Ukrainian officials have also claimed Russian units are trying to work around the restrictions by asking civilians to register Starlink terminals in their names.
Tesla accuses IG Metall member of secretly recording Giga Berlin meeting
Elon Musk’s xAI plants flag in Bellevue AI hotspot
