

Lifestyle
Tesla’s Franz von Holzhausen joins list of Most Creative People in Business
Tesla’s Chief of Design Franz von Holzhausen was listed as one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business for 2018. The publication listed von Holzhausen as No.6 in its list, directly behind the Parkland Five, teenage activists who triggered the March for Our Lives Movement. According to Fast Company, it awarded the designer a high rank in its list for repeatedly “redefining Tesla’s electric cars.”
In a statement to Fast Company, von Holzhausen described that the next-generation Roadster as a vehicle that can truly show the superiority of electric cars over gas-powered supercars.
“We want to show that an electric vehicle can be better than anything. Not just better than a normal road car, but better than any supercar,” he said.
Franz von Holzhausen started his work at Tesla back in 2008. During that time, Tesla Motors, as the company was named then, was only selling one vehicle — the original Tesla Roadster — an electric car that was based on the Lotus Elise. When he joined Tesla, von Holzhausen was actually taking a risk, considering that his credentials already included work on two of General Motors’ most attractive vehicles — the Pontiac Solstice and the Saturn Sky. Pictures of these cars can be found below.
- The Pontiac Solstice, a vehicle designed by Franz von Holzhausen.
- The Saturn Sky, a vehicle designed by Franz von Holzhausen.
After his stint at GM, von Holzhausen went on to Mazda North America, where he continued his work designing vehicles. Von Holzhausen could have easily stayed and made his career in Mazda then, considering that his work, especially in the company’s concept cars, was well-appreciated. That is, of course, until he met Elon Musk. Von Holzhausen joined Tesla in 2008, a time when the electric car company was quite literally on the verge of going under.
Franz von Holzhausen was presented with a unique opportunity at Tesla. The company knew that it had to move beyond the Roadster at some point, and efforts were underway to develop Whitestar, a full-sized luxury sedan that would be designed and built from the ground up as an electric vehicle. Von Holzhausen and his team worked at the SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, CA, designing the car from a blank slate. The results of these efforts was the Model S sedan.
The Model S is pretty much the embodiment of von Holzhausen’s signature style — cars that are understated, sleek, elegant, and efficient. The car designer’s aesthetic extended beyond the Model S’ exterior as well, as evidenced by the vehicle’s minimalistic, tech-driven interior. The Model S would go on to win numerous praises from reviewers and buyers. Consumer Reports even dubbed the vehicle as the best car it ever tested.
Franz von Holzhausen’s trademark design carried over to Tesla’s next two vehicles, the Model X and the Model 3 — a car that is expected to push the company into becoming a true mass-market automaker. The Model 3 is smaller than the Model S, but it is just as sleek and attractive. The interior of the vehicle is even more radical than the Model S and Model X, featuring a wooden dashboard that goes from one end of the car to another and a single, center-mounted 15-inch display.
- The Model 3 without its steering column. [Credit: My Tesla Adventure/Facebook]
- A driverless Chevy Bolt EV.
Ultimately, the Model 3’s interior design invokes a future when cars would do most, if not all, of the driving themselves. A simple side-by-side comparison of a driverless Model 3 and Chevy Bolt EV’s interior shows just how forward-thinking von Holzhausen’s designs are for the compact electric car.
Just like Tesla’s other executives like CTO JB Straubel, Franz von Holzhausen is known for being as understated as he is down-to-earth. Earlier this year, von Holzhausen was instrumental in giving a Tesla advocate who was fighting cancer a specialized, personal tour of the Fremont factory. Back in April, von Holzhausen also gave a would-be Model 3 owner a pleasant surprise by personally delivering the vehicle.
Lifestyle
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.

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.
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.
Lifestyle
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.

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?”
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.
Lifestyle
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.

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.
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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