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Tesla’s Franz von Holzhausen joins list of Most Creative People in Business

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla Cybertruck takes a bump from epic failing Dodge Charger

The Cybertruck seemed unharmed by the charging Charger.

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Credit: Hammer_of_something/Reddit

There comes a time in a driver’s life when one is faced with one’s limitations. For the driver of a Dodge Charger, this time came when he lost control and crashed into a Tesla Cybertruck–an absolute epic fail. 

A video of the rather unfortunate incident was shared on the r/TeslaLounge subreddit.

Charging Charger Fails

As could be seen in the video, which was posted on the subreddit by Model Y owner u/Hammer_of_something, a group of teens in a Dodge Charger decided to do some burnouts at a Tesla Supercharger. Unfortunately, the driver of the Charger failed in his burnout or donut attempt, resulting in the mopar sedan going over a curb and bumping a charging Cybertruck.

Ironically, the Dodge Charger seemed to have been parked at a Supercharger stall before its driver decided to perform the failed stunt. This suggests that the vehicle was likely ICE-ing a charging stall before it had its epic fail moment. Amusingly enough, the subreddit member noted that the Cybertruck did not seem like it took any damage at all despite its bump. The Charger, however, seemed like it ran into some trouble after crashing into the truck.

Alleged Aftermath

As per the the r/TeslaLounge subreddit member, the Cybertruck owner came rushing out to his vehicle after the Dodge Charger crashed into it. The Model Y owner then sent over the full video of the incident, which clearly showed the Charger attempting a burnout, failing, and bumping into the Cybertruck. The Cybertruck owner likely appreciated the video, in part because it showed the driver of the Dodge Charger absolutely freaking out after the incident.

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The Cybertruck is not an impregnable vehicle, but it can take bumps pretty well thanks to its thick stainless steel body. Based on this video, it appears that the Cybertruck can even take bumps from a charging Charger, all while chilling and charging at a Supercharger. As for the teens in the Dodge, they likely had to provide a long explanation to authorities after the incident, since the cops were called to the location.

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Anti-Elon Musk group crushes Tesla Model 3 with Sherman tank–with unexpected results

Ironically enough, the group’s video ended up highlighting something very positive for Tesla.

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Credit: Led By Donkeys/X

Anti-Elon Musk protesters and critics tend to show their disdain for the CEO in various ways, but a recent video from political action group Led By Donkeys definitely takes the cake when it comes to creativity.

Ironially enough, the group’s video also ended up highlighting something very positive for Tesla.

Tank vs. Tesla

In its video, Led By Donkeys featured Ken Turner, a 98-year-old veteran who served in the British army during World War II. The veteran stated that Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, is “using his immense power to support the far-right in Europe, and his money comes from Tesla cars.” 

He also noted that he had a message for the Tesla CEO: “We’ve crushed fascism before and we’ll crush it again.” To emphasize his point, the veteran proceeded to drive a Sherman tank over a blue Tesla Model 3 sedan, which, of course, had a plate that read “Fascism.” 

The heavy tank crushed the Model 3’s glass roof and windows, much to the delight of Led By Donkeys’ commenters on its official YouTube channel. But at the end of it all, the aftermath of the anti-Elon Musk demonstration ended up showcasing something positive for the electric vehicle maker.

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Tesla Model 3 Tanks the Tank?

As could be seen from the wreckage of the Tesla Model 3 after its Sherman encounter, only the glass roof and windows of the all-electric sedan were crushed. Looking at the wreckage of the Model 3, it seemed like its doors could still be opened, and everything on its lower section looked intact.

Considering that a standard M4 Sherman weighs about 66,800 to 84,000 pounds, the Model 3 actually weathered the tank’s assault really well. Granted, the vehicle’s suspension height before the political action group’s demonstration suggests that the Model 3’s high voltage battery had been removed beforehand. But even if it hadn’t been taken off, it seemed like the vehicle’s battery would have survived the heavy ordeal without much incident.

This was highlighted in comments from users on social media platform X, many of whom noted that a person in the Model 3 could very well have survived the ordeal with the Sherman. And that, ultimately, just speaks to the safety of Tesla’s vehicles. There is a reason why Teslas consistently rank among the safest cars on the road, after all.

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Tesla Model 3 driver is using FSD to travel to Mt. Everest Base Camp

The ambitious, nearly 4,000-kilometer (2,485-mile) Tesla FSD journey is being livestreamed on Chinese social media.

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Credit: Douyin 老高懂电车

Count on Tesla drivers in China to push Full Self Driving (FSD) as far as it could go. As could be seen in videos posted on Chinese social media, a brave Model 3 owner is currently going on an epic journey from Henan Province to the base camp of Mt. Everest on FSD.

Recent posts from the Model 3 driver suggest that the ambitious destination may be within reach.

Epic FSD Journey

As noted by Tesla owner-enthusiast Aaron Li, the journey from Henan Province to the base camp of Mt. Everest spans almost 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles). The journey itself is epic, with stunning vistas and roads that require some drivers to bring oxygen canisters with them. The fact that it is being done using FSD makes it extra impressive. 

Based on the videos that have been recently shared, the Model 3 running FSD seems to be nearing the Everest Base Camp. There seems to be a good chance that the Tesla Model 3 may reach its destination this Friday.

Previous Everest Trips

This is not the first time that a Tesla has driven to Mt. Everest’s base camp.  That would be a Model 3 that was driven in September 2020. That vehicle, which went on a long 5,500 km (3,400-mile) journey, was manually driven to its destination. 

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In April 2021, Tesla China announced that it has completed the buildout of 11 Supercharger stations in the picturesque route from Chengdu to Tingri. This route would allow drivers to reach the base camp of Mt. Everest. Sure enough, in July 2022, Tesla China shared a video of two Teslas—a Model X and Model Y—reaching the Everest base camp without any issues. Numerous other Tesla drivers have since taken on the long, picturesque journey.

Check out this Tesla Model Y’s journey to the Mt. Everest base camp in the video below.

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