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Here’s what happened at Tesla’s VIP Factory Tour and Q&A with Franz von Holzhausen

Published

8 years ago

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Model S-owning YouTuber and Tesla’s referral program leader for most referred sales, DÆrik, shared the low down on Friday’s VIP Factory Tour event in Fremont, California. The invite-only factory tour also featured a Model 3 and a private Q&A session with Tesla Senior Design Executive Franz von Holzhausen.

DÆrik shared that they were able to see the Model 3 at the event, but it was an Alpha unit and they were not able to touch it, sit in it, or be driven around in it. The Model 3 experience was a bit underwhelming but that was expected based on confirmation from Tesla prior to the event that the production-ready Model 3 would not be in attendance. With the official production Model 3 reveal and first delivery slated for sometime in July, it doesn’t comes as a surprise that Tesla didn’t put any emphasis on showcasing a release candidate of its upcoming mass market sedan during Friday’s VIP Tour.

Teslarati received reports from attendees who indicated that the VIP Factory Tour was not much different than a standard Fremont Factory Tour. Attendees learned about the history of the factory, were shown various production lines in action and were told about the factory’s commitment to unparalleled safety.

After the factory tour, attendees were whisked away by shuttle to a building across the street from for lunch and a Q&A session with Franz. Luckily for us, DÆrik captured all questions and accompanying responses in his second video update which we posted below. To make it easier for our readers, we have transcribed DÆrik’s account of the Q&A, as follows.

Q&A with Tesla Design Executive Franz von Holzhausen

The first 5 questions had been determined in advance, while 10 additional questions were obtained from the live audience. Here are the 5 predetermined questions and answers:

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1. How do you feel to have designed the world’s most anticipated car (referring to Model S)?

He didn’t know it would be such a success in the beginning but he felt a desire and a need to just go for it. He felt it was a big opportunity.

2. Did you design Tesla Model S and X to be the safest cars?

The entire design of Model S and X was safety first and everything else was built around that.

3. What was the definition of design vs. style?

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Design is more about solving problems and style is more of a personal taste. They are as much designers as engineers at Tesla.

4. What was the most challenging aspect of the Model S and X?

Model S: the door handles.

Model X: the falcon wing doors.

5. What was the design approach for Powerwall and Solar Roof?

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Tesla designers were looking at the most efficient way to produce to combine it and make it beautiful. They wanted to make it completely flow as a line of energy products.

The next 10 questions were submitted by the audience.

6. Why did they include the black front end on the fascia of the Model S and why did they switch it later?

It gave a shorter appearance on the front end and made it look lower. He talked about how it framed the badging and helped with brand recognition on the Model S. After the brand had been established, they felt comfortable to refresh the front end.

7. How about a convertible?

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No comment.

8. Design challenges for the Model 3?

To make a truly great affordable project and a sexy car. Sexy car were his words.

9. What about a Truck? See Elon’s Tweet.

10. How about a Sports Car?  See Elon’s Tweet.

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11. Favorite challenge to solve in Model 3 versus Model S?

He said he couldn’t go into too much detail but that he wanted to create a beautiful car at the price point without having to give anything up. So the process was generally the same as the Model S.

12. As batteries become more efficient will the space required for them go down or will Tesla continue to increase the overall battery capacity?

The battery on the bottom of the car allows for a ton of flexibility. They will always be looking out and focusing on efficiency and range and performance.

13. There are 120 people on Franz’s team. How many people contribute or is Franz in charge of the overall look and does he delegate?

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There are thousands of decisions to make all the time. The team goes through design phases. Some are empowered to make decisions however, Franz likes to stay involved as much as possible. Elon has the final say. They have digital designers, they have clay modelers and everything is designed under one roof.

14. Tesla vs typical auto manufacturers. How do they compare since Franz has history with that?

What sets Tesla apart and what is Tesla’s ‘special sauce’? Good communication.  Good communication between the designers and the engineers.

15. Did your friends think you were crazy when you left your stable career to work at Tesla?

Yes because it was such a new idea. It wasn’t known, they didn’t have a Model S on the road yet but it made sense to him. He had an opportunity to do a product that no one knew and do it from the ground up.

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The VIP event was not mind-blowing but one could interpret some of Franz’s remarks as insight on what’s to come. Right? Ahem, Tesla convertible.

A big thanks to DÆrik for jotting down these notes. Be sure to subscribe to the channel here.

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I'm passionate about clean technology, sustainability and life. I've worked in manufacturing, IT, project management and environmental...and enjoy unpacking complex topics in layman's terms. TSLA investor. Find more of my words on my website or follow me on Twitter for all the latest. Tesla Referral link: http://ts.la/kyle623

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Lifestyle

Elon Musk seemingly confirms Cybertruck gift to 13-year-old cancer fighter

Diagnosed in 2018 with a rare form of brain and spine cancer with no cure, the teen has undergone 13 surgeries by the time he was 12.

Published

2 months ago

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March 6, 2025

By

Credit: Tesla

Elon Musk has seemingly confirmed that he will be sending a Tesla Cybertruck to 13-year-old Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel, a 13-year-old Houston boy fighting brain cancer. The teen was recognized as an honorary Secret Service member by U.S. President Donald Trump during his address to Congress on Tuesday. 

A Chance Meeting

The Tesla CEO’s Cybertruck pledge was mentioned during DJ’s short interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins. When Collins asked the 13-year-old what he told the Tesla CEO, DJ answered that he asked for a Cybertruck.

“I said, ‘can you do me a big favor, when you get back to Houston can you send us a Cybertruck down there?’” the cancer fighter stated.

Daniel noted that Musk responded positively to his request, which was highlighted by Collins in a post on X. Musk responded to the post with a heart emoji, suggesting that he really will be sending a Cybertruck to the 13-year-old cancer fighter.

Teen’s Cancer Battle Inspires

Diagnosed in 2018 with a rare form of brain and spine cancer with no cure, Daniel has undergone 13 surgeries by the time he was 12. During his speech, Trump highlighted the 13-year-old’s long battle with his disease. 

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“Joining us in the gallery tonight is a young man who truly loves our police. The doctors gave him five months at most to live. That was more than six years ago. Since that time, DJ and his dad have been on a quest to make his dream come true,” Trump stated.

Daniels officially received an honorary badge from U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran, to much applause during the event.

Surprisingly Partisan

While Daniels’ story has been inspiring, Trump’s focus on the 13-year-old cancer fighter has received its own fair share of criticism. MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace, while referencing Daniels’ love for law enforcement, noted that she is hoping the 13-year-old never has to defend the U.S. capitol against Trump supporters. “If he does, I hope he isn’t one of the six who loses his life to suicide,” Wallace stated.

Anti-Musk and Trump accounts on X have also thrown jokes at the cancer fighter’s honorary badge, with some dubbing the 13-year-old as a “DEI hire” that should be looked into by DOGE.

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Tesla owner highlights underrated benefit of FSD Supervised

Published

3 months ago

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January 31, 2025

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Credit: Tesla

Elon Musk has been pretty open about the idea of FSD being the difference maker for Tesla’s future.

If Tesla succeeds in achieving FSD, it could become the world’s most valuable company. If it doesn’t, then the company would not be able to reach its optimum potential.

FSD Supervised’s safety benefits:

  • But even if FSD is still not perfect today, FSD Supervised is already making a difference on the roads today.
  • This was highlighted in Tesla’s Q4 2024 Vehicle Safety Report.
  • As per Tesla, it recorded one crash for every 5.94 million miles driven in which drivers were using Autopilot technology.
  • For comparison, the most recent data available from the NHTSA and FHWA (from 2023) showed that there was one automobile crash every 702,000 miles in the United States. 

FSD user’s tale:

  • As per an FSD user’s post on social media platform X, FSD Supervised was able to help him drive a relative to a medical facility safely even if he was exhausted.
  • During the trip, the driver only had to monitor FSD Supervised’s performance to make sure the Tesla operated safely.
  • In a vehicle without FSD, such a trip with an exhausted driver would have been quite dangerous. 
  • “This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
  • “The convenience of sending the hospital’s address directly from my iPhone to my Tesla while still inside my house, then just a single button press once inside, and 40 miles later we were precisely in front of the hospital’s admissions area.This experience really underscores just how transformative this technology can be for society,” Tesla owner JC Christopher noted in his post.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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Lifestyle

Tesla Optimus “stars” in incredible fanmade action short film

Published

3 months ago

on

January 14, 2025

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Credit: @SoKrispyMedia/YouTube

There are few things that prove an enthusiast’s love towards a company more than a dedicated short film. This was highlighted recently when YouTube’s SoKrispyMedia posted a 10-minute action movie starring Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot, as well as several of the company’s most iconic products. 

The video: 

  • Shot like a Hollywood action flick, the video featured a rather humorous plot involving a group of thieves that mistakenly targeted a Tesla Model 3 driver. 
  • The Model 3 driver then ended up speaking to Tesla for assistance, and some high-octane and high-speed hijinks ensued.
  • While the short film featured several Tesla products like the Model 3, Superchargers, and the Cybertruck, it is Optimus that truly stole the show.
  • Optimus served several roles in the short film, from an assistant in a Tesla office to a “robocop” enforcer that helped out the Model 3 driver.

Cool inside jokes: 

  • The best Tesla videos are those that show an in-depth knowledge of the company, and SoKrispyMedia definitely had it. 
  • From the opening scenes alone, the video immediately poked fun at TSLA traders, the large number of gray Tesla owners, and the fact that many still do not understand Superchargers.
  • The video even poked fun at Tesla’s software updates, as well as how some Tesla drivers use Autopilot or other features without reading the fine print in the company’s release notes.
  • The video ended with a tour de force of references to Elon Musk products, from the Tesla Cybertruck to the Boring Company Not-a-Flamethrower, which was released back in 2018.

Check out SoKrispyMedia’s Tesla action short film in the video below.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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