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It’s Wrong To Value Tesla [TSLA] As An Auto Business

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Autonomous Vehicles

Published on December 11th, 2019 |

by Johnna Crider

It’s Wrong To Value Tesla [TSLA] As An Auto Business

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December 11th, 2019 by Johnna Crider

Tesla is an auto business, but at the same time, it’s not. It has grown from that into something else and investors need to look at Tesla not from any single angle, but need to see it as the whole it is. The Spring recently published an article on the potential of Tesla services, and it challenges one to look at Tesla in a different light.

The article points out that Tesla has always been valued from the same perspectives that investors use to value auto businesses. This is great for any normal car company — they build factories, have high upfront expenses, and sell a new car to a customer every 10 years or so. Tesla looks like your typical auto company at a glance, and this is what investors seem to go by. Take a quick look, slap a value on it based on certain metrics, and move along.

I agree with the author of the article, Kevin Rooke, who believes it is “becoming increasingly wrong to value Tesla’s auto business like an auto business.” This is because Tesla is so much more than that. Tesla is also a tech business, an energy business, and is taking a few pages from Apple as it starts to become a services business, which is what the article focuses on.

Another point the author makes is that most of the time, automakers don’t even know who exactly their customers are. Tesla CEO Elon Musk keeps a close eye on customer feedback on Twitter, often interacting with Tesla owners, investors, and supporters.

The article also highlights that Tesla has a different approach to selling its cars. It has a direct-to-consumer business model, which means there are no dealers. Unlike Ford or other automakers that sell to dealerships once the cars are off the line, Tesla sells to the customers directly.

Regarding services, the article points out that Tesla’s services look a lot like Apple’s. Some quick comparisons include trade-ins, insurance, service centers, Premium connectivity, and Supercharging. This is actually a smart way to bring in recurring revenue. Some may complain about having to pay for something that was once free, such as WiFi, but $10 a month for the internet is likely to cover costs plus a small premium and is not that expensive. Still, an important point is the option is there to make more money on this down the road.

Rooke illustrates how quickly the services could become a core part of Tesla’s business by providing an example: imagine 2 years from now that Tesla has a fleet of 2 million vehicles with $1,000 per vehicle in services revenue per quarter. If Tesla achieves a 10% gross margin on these services, then that is an additional $800 million of profit per year just from these services. Rooke shows other examples as well and also demonstrates just how Tesla can turn its services into those big businesses by comparing what Tesla does with other automakers. You can read more about his thoughts here.

By embracing the services potential with its technology, Tesla is positioning itself to become even more profitable despite what critics, who only see it as a basic auto company, have to say or argue.
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About the Author

Johnna Crider Johnna Crider is a Baton Rouge artist, gem and mineral collector, and Tesla shareholder who believes in Elon Musk and Tesla. Elon Musk advised her in 2018 to “Believe in Good.”

Tesla is one of many good things to believe in. You can find Johnna on Twitter

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Prediction: Tesla Cybertruck Will Have 1 Million-Mile Battery

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Batteries

Published on December 11th, 2019 |

by Johnna Crider

Prediction: Tesla Cybertruck Will Have 1 Million-Mile Battery

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December 11th, 2019 by Johnna Crider

Reddit user OompaOrangeFace has shared a prediction regarding the Tesla Cybertruck that may appeal to readers here. The prediction is that the Cybertruck will have a 1 million-mile battery plus power train warranty and a 20-year corrosion warranty for the body of the truck. This would be a key selling point for the indecisive buyer who is on the edge of purchasing one but considering hitting the “Place Order” button.

1 Million-Mile Battery
In September, a group of researchers at Dalhousie University published a paper in The Journal of Electrochemical Society that painted a picture of a lithium-ion battery that could power an electric vehicle for over a million miles. Dalhousie University’s battery team, led by Jeff Dahn, has had an exclusive agreement with Tesla for a few years, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk promised back in April that Tesla would soon be able to run its vehicles on more than 1 million miles over the course of their lifespans. Some people laughed, mocked, or made Elon Musk the butt of their jokes (nothing new here). However, in light of that publication, we are seeing that Elon Musk has science backing up that claim.

As Tesla dives deeper into the realm of battery production, this million-mile battery could be fully developed by the time the Cybertruck starts production. If this theory becomes reality, then it seems no competitor could have anything comparable — even beyond the style differences.

Another user on Reddit, M3FanOZ, not only agreed with the theory but backed it up with one of their own. Their hunch is that the CyberTruck would come with a 1 million-mile battery, a 20-year lifetime warranty, and an 8 year 250,000 mile warranty. “Like the Semi, the battery will be capable of being cycled daily on a regular basis.”

Again, these are just theories and we will not know until the CyberTruck is being delivered to its customers in a couple of years, but it is fun to speculate — just as long as we don’t base our hopes on these speculations. (I am bad about that!)

Another idea by user TheSpocker is that you should also be able to use your truck to power your house like a Tesla Powerwall does. This could be a software unlockable option. This is actually a pretty cool idea, and since Tesla is becoming more of a services-type company, it would be a smart move for those wanting to combine the solar aspect of the Cybertruck.

What are your thoughts on these ideas?
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Johnna Crider Johnna Crider is a Baton Rouge artist, gem and mineral collector, and Tesla shareholder who believes in Elon Musk and Tesla. Elon Musk advised her in 2018 to “Believe in Good.”

Tesla is one of many good things to believe in. You can find Johnna on Twitter

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BASF To Build A Battery Factory In Germany

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Batteries

Published on December 10th, 2019 |

by Johnna Crider

BASF To Build A Battery Factory In Germany

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December 10th, 2019 by Johnna Crider

German news outlet Bild reports that BASF will build a battery factory in Brandenburg for 500 million euros ($555 million). The factory will center around producing cathodes, and the news comes four weeks after Tesla’s surprise for Germany.

Five German companies will profit from this battery factory, which had recently been approved for a €3.2 billion package by the European Commission. Christine Haupt, a BASF spokesperson, says that they want to produce cathode materials for 300,000 electric cars per year from primary products with their factory in Finland and that the executive board will decide on the German production site. “Social, environmental and economic factors play a role here.” Those three factors are vital for any economy and for any business to do well.

In the article, Tesla is recognized as a world market leader. Germany will surely see a major growth in the economy once these two plants are actually built and start producing.

The article also points out another advantage of Schwarzheide. The largest chemical plant in Brandenburg has around 3,000 workers and those workers are paid lower wages than in the West German BASF factories. Not only will BASF most likely pay higher wages, but it will bring competition to the job market and this will give workers more options and ways to grow.

For some previous BASF stories on CleanTechnica, see:

BASF And Norilsk Nickel Partner On New Battery Production In Finland

Exciting Developments In NMC 811 Lithium Battery Technology

BASF + Volkswagen Award Dr Vanessa Wood With “Science Award Electrochemistry” For Li-Ion Battery Work

Lithium-Sulfur Battery Performance Improved Via New Cathode Stabilization Strategy

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Johnna Crider Johnna Crider is a Baton Rouge artist, gem and mineral collector, and Tesla shareholder who believes in Elon Musk and Tesla. Elon Musk advised her in 2018 to “Believe in Good.”

Tesla is one of many good things to believe in. You can find Johnna on Twitter

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Tesla Could Make A Splash Or Take A Dive If It Builds A Submarine

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Boats

Published on December 10th, 2019 |

by Johnna Crider

Tesla Could Make A Splash Or Take A Dive If It Builds A Submarine

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December 10th, 2019 by Johnna Crider

Tesla could make a major splash with its own submarine. CarAndDriver published an article back in June that just showed up in my Twitter feed. Could Tesla be planning to go for a swim by creating an all-electric submarine? CarAndDriver mentioned that at the Tesla shareholder meeting Elon Musk talked about Tesla having a design for a personal submarine. This was a response to a shareholder wanting to know if Tesla was working on a car that was capable of both land and sea travel.

The idea of one’s own personal submarine sounds kind of out there, but at the same time, it brings to mind the possibilities of diving from a different perspective. Elon Musk has certainly had the idea in his head for a long time, having bought the old James Bond submarine car at an auction for a million dollars several years ago. The submarine car was on display at the recent Cybertruck reveal event (photos below by Kyle Field for CleanTechnica).

Also, it reminds us of the submarine Elon and SpaceX built to help with the Thai rescue — an operation Elon Musk was asked to help with. Even though the boys were saved without any help from Elon or SpaceX, the idea of a smaller sub leads into other ideas — for example, evacuations from areas that are heavily flooded.

CarAndDriver thinks that Tesla should forgo the electric submarine idea and focus on its core business: “that of building automobiles.” Even though Elon had the same opinion and dismissed the idea as a distraction, it’s still there, a flicker of creativity beckoning for its creator to bring it into being. What I am saying is that it can be done. Perhaps CarAndDriver is right — now is not the right time for Tesla to take a dive into the ocean. But maybe in the future? After all, there is a time and place for everything, yes?

Tesla Opinion created a poll on Twitter. Do you think a Tesla Submarine would sell?

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Johnna Crider Johnna Crider is a Baton Rouge artist, gem and mineral collector, and Tesla shareholder who believes in Elon Musk and Tesla. Elon Musk advised her in 2018 to “Believe in Good.”

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93 MWh Tesla Megapack Coming To Alaska To Save Customers Cash

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Batteries

Published on December 10th, 2019 |

by Kyle Field

93 MWh Tesla Megapack Coming To Alaska To Save Customers Cash

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December 10th, 2019 by Kyle Field

Alaskan Electricity Cooperative Installing 93 MWh Tesla Battery On Financials Alone
A new 93 MWh Tesla Megapack system installed in Alaska by the Homer Electric Association, Inc., will be used to directly offset electricity that would have otherwise required a peaker plant to fire up. The new battery pack will be installed at the Soldotna Power Plant (map), adjacent to the existing natural gas-fired GE LM 6000 turbine currently used to provide electricity to cover peak usage in the area.

The Tesla Energy installation at the Hornsdale wind farm in Australia. Image courtesy: Tesla

The new Tesla batteries will demonstrate that not only can batteries directly replace gas-fired peaker plants, they can do so even in the frigid temperatures of Alaska, where temperatures typically stay below freezing for months at a time in the winter.

The battery pack is being installed by the Homer Electric Association specifically to “increase grid stability, electric power reliability and system efficiency for its members.” The Tesla Megapack installation will be able to fully discharge its 93 MWh of stored energy to the grid at a rate of 46.5 MW, so a full discharge takes 2 hours.

Banks of Tesla Powerpacks are linked together to store massive amounts of electricity in a compact area. Image courtesy: Tesla

Adding the energy storage system to its local grid allows Homer Electric Association to meet the mandated grid reliability requirements without having to rely on the gas turbine for power. Utilizing the battery instead of the turbine means less gas being burned, lower emissions, and a more reliable grid.

Notably, the local electricity cooperative opted to install the new Tesla Energy system as a way of creating a more flexible grid to accommodate more intermittent renewable assets on the grid in the future. Batteries not only serve as peaker units for a grid operator, they are a source of flexibility, one of the most valuable metrics for any grid operator when it comes to keeping everything humming along reliably.

A Tesla Powerpack being installed. Image courtesy: Tesla

The newly inked deal will see the new Tesla Megapack system in Soldotna come online in the fall of 2021. Unfortunately, while the deal has already been locked in, financials for the cost per kWh are not being shared.

Source: Homer Electric
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Kyle Field I'm a tech geek passionately in search of actionable ways to reduce the negative impact my life has on the planet, save money and reduce stress. Live intentionally, make conscious decisions, love more, act responsibly, play. The more you know, the less you need. TSLA investor.

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The Tesla CyberRoadster Needs To Exist

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Clean Transport

Published on December 10th, 2019 |

by Johnna Crider

The Tesla CyberRoadster Needs To Exist

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December 10th, 2019 by Johnna Crider

Tesmanian founder Vincent last week shared a really cool concept of a Tesla CyberRoadster on Twitter, and it needs to be real. Imagine the new Tesla Roadster crossed with the Cybertruck. It’s a nice blend of two trendsetting vehicles that also result in zero emissions when driving around town or through the countryside.

The concept even has the cracked windows from the actual Cybertruck reveal, which have become a fan favorite since they really add to that dystopian flair.

The CyberRoadster, if it actually became reality, looks like it would have the Cybertruck’s “eyes” and “nose and design theme while having the Roadster’s “body.” In other words, it has the angular features and the exoskeleton of the Cybertruck but with the Roadster’s lower stance and wider bodywork.

The CyberRoadster would combine the sleekness of the Roadster with the artistry of the Cybertruck into one unique electric vehicle that would not just be made for speed, but also a tough beast to reckon with. Yes, we need the CyberRoadster to become reality.

Some think that this is similar to a Lamborghini of some sort or another with a better roof, and that it would be the ultimate supercar.

In general, Tesla exceeds at standing out with its uniqueness, but I am really feeling this concept. (Editor’s note: I want this. Santa?)

Someone else mentioned that if the CyberRoadster existed, it could be determined too strong during a collision with other cars. This opened up a dialogue about emergency brakes in which Twitter user Johnny says, “The goal is to make emergency brake better and to make self-driving good by the time the Cybertruck comes out so that most accidents would be avoided and that it wouldn’t be the Cybertruck’s fault if someone hits it.” One thing we all know from Tesla’s nice collection of safety awards is that Tesla prioritizes safety first and foremost.

The CyberRoadster may not be as useful during a zombie apocalypse as the Cybertruck, but as with other sports cars, it does smooth out some of those sharper edges and have an extremely appealing design compared to the truck/SUV — and it would be faster. As for the broken windows?

“We don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents.”
—Bob Ross.

Franz breaking those windows has not only made Tesla an even more popular subject to talk about, but many of the Cybertruck renders include the broken windows. A happy little accident, indeed — one that had Tesla fans cracking up laughing while going “OMG!” simultaneously. The most important question is: will Tesla add shattered window decals to its online store?

While stock analysts and car enthusiasts alike discuss Tesla, the Cybertruck, and other concepts, Tesla is still doing what it set out to do: it’s mission.

Note: It is unclear who created the CyberRoadster render. If it was you please let us know so that we can give you credit.
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Johnna Crider Johnna Crider is a Baton Rouge artist, gem and mineral collector, and Tesla shareholder who believes in Elon Musk and Tesla. Elon Musk advised her in 2018 to “Believe in Good.”

Tesla is one of many good things to believe in. You can find Johnna on Twitter

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Ark Invest’s Cathie Wood Talks Tesla Cybertruck

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Autonomous Vehicles

Published on December 10th, 2019 |

by Johnna Crider

Ark Invest’s Cathie Wood Talks Tesla Cybertruck

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December 10th, 2019 by Johnna Crider

Cathie Wood, founder of Ark Invest, yesterday sat down with CNBC’s SqawkTalk to talk about the Tesla Cybertruck. Tesla, which is the top holding in several of Ark’s funds, has Elon Musk as its CEO, and it’s natural the anchor wanted to know about what Wood’s thoughts were on the Cybertruck, as well as on other matters such as the defamation trial where Elon was found not guilty.

Cathie Wood dives right into her thoughts on the Cybertruck. She says that she has looked at it from many different angles and that it far surpasses other trucks. When it comes to comparing the Cybertruck to the Ford F-150, Cathie says, “There’s just no comparison.” The anchor asked what I thought was a good question: “Do you think it is for people who would have bought a brand new Ford F-150 or is this a brand new market?”

Cathie Wood explains that Ark Invest performed a Google Trends analysis about the excitement of the Tesla Cybertruck compared to the early days of the Model 3 and what Ark has seen is that the excitement is in the areas you would want it to be — in the Midwest and rural areas. Cathie also says that she thinks that the Cybertruck will be a significant competitor to the Ford F-150. Further, other electric vehicle makers will have to sell their vehicles either at a loss or a higher price since Tesla is able to produce its own batteries and is lowering its overall cost in making electric vehicles.

When it comes to the geographic areas where people were the most excited about the Cybertruck, this is a good thing for Tesla. The Midwest and rural areas often have a much higher number of pickup drivers, and seeing these areas get excited about Tesla’s Cybertruck tell us that, like the rest of the auto industry, Tesla will be a game changer for the pickup industry.
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Johnna Crider Johnna Crider is a Baton Rouge artist, gem and mineral collector, and Tesla shareholder who believes in Elon Musk and Tesla. Elon Musk advised her in 2018 to “Believe in Good.”

Tesla is one of many good things to believe in. You can find Johnna on Twitter

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Senator Markey Off The Mark On Tesla Autopilot (Again)

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Autonomous Vehicles

Published on December 10th, 2019 |

by Johnna Crider

Senator Markey Off The Mark On Tesla Autopilot (Again)

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December 10th, 2019 by Johnna Crider

Last month, Senator Ed Markey said that Autopilot should be disabled. Now he is saying that Autopilot is causing harm. This tweet he shared was in reference to another accident that was caused by a driver not paying attention despite the fact that Autopilot was enabled:

If one actually watches the video the Senator shared, the anchor states that the man was checking on the dog in the back seat when he ran into a police cruiser. Yes, Autopilot was enabled, but Tesla also tells drivers that they need to be ready to take over at any time. This “any time” happened while the driver was not looking directly in front of him.

Apparently, the Senator thinks this is Tesla’s own fault and states that, “This tech will continue causing harm until Tesla takes action to fix its flawed system and make sure drivers are paying attention.”

If Tesla ever finds a way to actually force people to pay attention, I truly hope that they market and sell this for a really low price. I don’t own a car and have almost been hit while crossing the street many times. People run red lights, people drive while not even looking at the street. One time, I was crossing in front of a Mercedes-Benz driver who wasn’t even looking at the road and he had accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of the brake. I was crossing and had the right of way. His car hit my hip — fortunately, it was a gentle tap. I fell on his hood, got up, and walked away.

Senator Markey, from his statement, seems to think that only people who drive Tesla vehicles are not paying attention, and that it’s Tesla’s responsibility to make them do so. This line of thinking is not only outrageous, but it places the blame on Tesla for things it is not responsible for. It is not the fault of Tesla that some drivers do not pay attention at all times. How many times a day does a non-Tesla driver cause an accident because they weren’t paying attention? Many. But there is no hype about the type of cars they are driving. In fact, Autopilot has surely saved many more lives than it has taken, but those saved lives and prevented accidents don’t make headlines.

Perhaps, instead of blaming Tesla, we should find actual solutions that would encourage more drivers to pay attention. Tesla isn’t responsible for every person who gets into one of its vehicles, and Tesla isn’t the only car company where people abuse its safety features. Volkswagen owners can easily turn their cars into “self-driving” cars by tricking the active lane assist with a bottle of water, yet we don’t hear government officials bemoaning Volkswagen over these nag hacks.

In the third quarter of 2019, Tesla registered one accident for every 4.34 million miles driven when drivers had Autopilot engaged. In other words, for every 4.34 million miles driven with Autopilot on, there was one accident.

Is Autopilot really at fault in this case above or is it the driver? Is Tesla really to blame for people misusing its tech? If so, then perhaps gunmakers should be blamed for every school shooting. Or maybe you should blame the floor if you trip and fall.

Perhaps we should ban knives and scissors until people stop getting accidentally cut by them. Sound good? Or maybe he should blame every bar, restaurant, and company that sells alcoholic beverages for every death caused by drunk driving. Logical?

When a solution is hard to find, we often look to blame others instead. It’s easier to point fingers and say, “it’s your fault,” instead of coming together for solutions. Senator Markey should stop blaming Tesla for those who drive on Autopilot and don’t pay attention. Autopilot isn’t designed for such use and that’s made clear to owners.

Big Oil’s & Big Short’s Tesla Smears Reach Far & Wide

U.S. Senator Ed Markey Thinks Autopilot Should Be Disabled

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Johnna Crider Johnna Crider is a Baton Rouge artist, gem and mineral collector, and Tesla shareholder who believes in Elon Musk and Tesla. Elon Musk advised her in 2018 to “Believe in Good.”

Tesla is one of many good things to believe in. You can find Johnna on Twitter

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Tesla Getting Into The Mining Business Makes Sense

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Batteries

Published on December 9th, 2019 |

by Johnna Crider

Tesla Getting Into The Mining Business Makes Sense

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December 9th, 2019 by Johnna Crider

Sean Mitchell has published his thoughts on YouTube as to why Tesla getting into the mining business makes sense. When Elon Musk first talked about Tesla going into the mining business, I got really excited, but my mind went off in another direction. I immediately envisioned a Tesla booth at a gem show with minerals in every color shaped like little Teslas. I am sure that’s not what Elon had in mind.

For Tesla as a company to make money, it needs to make sure it’s not spending too much, and one way of doing this is scaling up battery production and managing parts of the supply chain that need its leadership.

How are batteries made? What minerals are needed to make Tesla batteries, and would taking some of the elements of the batteries’ creation into Tesla’s own hands be cost-effective? This could make a lot of sense. Sean explains what Tesla already has down in this regard.

Sean believes that Tesla acquired Maxwell and Hibar so that it could control two-thirds of the production process. The last part it doesn’t have control over is the sourcing of raw materials such as copper, lithium, etc. Sean tells us that in his opinion, this is fundamental to Tesla reducing its cost in creating the battery packs. I agree.

In 2017, Kurt Kelty, former Tesla Senior Director of Battery Tech, gave a presentation in which he talked about how important it was to reduce the cost of making the batteries. How far into the battery supplies Tesla goes to make that happen is the question. Another thing we learn from Sean’s video is that nickel, not lithium, is the largest single raw material cost in high-energy-density Li-ion batteries. Nickel, cobalt, and lithium are all minerals that the cathode materials are made with.

His thought is that if Tesla is going to move toward becoming its own mining company, it will most likely do so around nickel, not cobalt or lithium. Also, when it comes to sourcing these minerals, Tesla is sourcing them ethically. It’s committed to sourcing responsibly produced materials, and it makes sure its suppliers provide a certification of origin as well as a description of risk mitigation practices. Tesla also performs onsite visits to try to ensure that no illegally mined or artisanal material enters Tesla’s supply chain. For more on the concerns in that regard, see this article.

My Thoughts On Sean’s Video
I fully agree with Sean and I wanted to provide some insight as well. I am a gem and mineral collector — I have a small collection (I even have a rare opal with trace amounts of uranium in it!) and got into this from my wire art. In fact, I tweeted some random minerals to Elon Musk before I seriously got back into writing. It was fun. He even told me once that his favorite mineral is iron pyrite, which is fool’s gold and oddly an actual ore of gold.

From my perspective, I can see other ways Tesla could bring in profits from the mines. It depends on what the mines actually produce, but there are cases where mines produce more than one mineral. This isn’t an idea just for Tesla, but also The Boring Company, which could make bricks of all the dirt from the tunnels to help with housing. Our planet is rich with minerals, and minerals are all popular collectors’ items.

People buy crystals, minerals, and gems for various reasons. If Tesla gets into the mining industry and ends up with minerals besides what it needs, it could sell them to wholesalers across the world that specialize in the sale of minerals or need them for other purposes.

When I had my store in 2016, I met a representative of a mine in Nigeria who brought me a variety of emeralds and tourmalines. He explained to me that many mines produce many minerals and that even though the owner of that mine solely wanted to focus on emeralds, he realized that the profits from other minerals were vast and started selling those as well.

All in all, if Tesla gets into the mining industry, it could not only save the company some money, but when you consider that Elon Musk is well known for revolutionizing industries he gets into, it would be interesting to see how Tesla influenced this one.
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About the Author

Johnna Crider Johnna Crider is a Baton Rouge artist, gem and mineral collector, and Tesla shareholder who believes in Elon Musk and Tesla. Elon Musk advised her in 2018 to “Believe in Good.”

Tesla is one of many good things to believe in. You can find Johnna on Twitter

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The #1 Thing I Love About Our Tesla Model 3 That No One Talks About

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Published on December 8th, 2019 |

by Zachary Shahan

The #1 Thing I Love About Our Tesla Model 3 That No One Talks About

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December 8th, 2019 by Zachary Shahan

We spend a lot of time in our Tesla Model 3. Aside from driving approximately the US average, we generally spend about an hour a day sitting in a student pickup line (45 minutes some days, up to an hour and a half others). And then there are various times when I might be working in the car for a while — for example, while the girls enjoy the beach and I have to get articles published on CleanTechnica. 😛

The point is: we spend a lot of time in the car, and a lot of that time involves actually doing stuff, not just driving. That leads into the thing I love about our Tesla Model 3 that gets very little attention — and when it does get attention, often gets negative attention!

The Model 3 has a supremely minimalist — yet premium-feeling — design. With out white & black interior, it feels like what a car interior designed by Apple would look and feel like. The open, clutter-free space is the perfect balance to a life with two young monsters and hectic traffic. Sitting on the comfy white seat, resting my arm on the smooth, black center armrest, and gazing across the empty dash in front of me feels almost like coming home and plopping myself down on the couch to watch tennis. (If I had free time, I think that’s what I’d enjoy doing.)

Everything I need for the car is on the touchscreen, which I can let slip out of my direct view but then can easily check or use as needed. Aside from my phone sitting under the touchscreen and a bottle of water or coffee, my vicinity is clean, clear, and ideal for a peaceful ride. I couldn’t ask for more.

Some people criticize the interior of the Model 3 as basic, simple, or bare. I honestly can’t imagine wanting it to be different, as anything more would be adding clutter. The vegan leather is so smooth and premium. I recall renting a Mercedes a couple of times that had a somewhat similar center console. It was an enjoyable “little thing” that I appreciated at the time. The Model 3’s smooth black center console fits into its surroundings much better (and it feels slightly better as well). The space in front and to the other sides of me fit the elegant and thick right armrest. I don’t have all the clutter the Mercedes swarmed me with.

The car is even more minimalist when it’s driving itself.

This all may seem like a little aspect of the Model 3, and perhaps I’m overdoing it. To the contrary, though, I think this is one of the biggest daily benefits of a truly magical car. Minimalism is often, ironically, under-appreciated. Minimalism done well is difficult, but then so complete and fulfilling.

The drive quality, the interior feel of the car, and the look of the model from the outside as you walk up to it — these are three aspects of a car that an owner regularly notices. Each of them is critical in its own right to a fully enjoyable ownership experience. Everyone should know by now that Tesla nails #1 and is highly regarded for #3, but the superb implementation of #2 is equally if not more important. It is one reason it’d be so hard to switch to any other vehicle.

I will bring up one issue I have on this topic, though. If I sit in the passenger seat, it’s comfortable to move the seat back a bit and work on my laptop. If I have to sit in the driver’s seat and do this, I have to put the seat much further back due to the steering wheel, and I then lose a comfortable position for my elbows. I don’t have anywhere to rest them and I’m too squeezed in to have them hang in space. Now, I don’t expect Tesla to design a solution for such an edge case! However, this review wouldn’t be complete without noting that that’s the one place in which I could see the interior design being much better for my personal use case.

Oh yeah, there’s also the glossy black console between the armrest and touchscreen. I don’t know if it’s Franz, Elon, or both of them who love that glossy black plastic, but I’m yet to meet an owner who loves it and I’ve met several who hate it. I don’t understand the rationale for putting it in a Tesla. I imagine I’ll get mine turned into a matte trim eventually. (Aftermarket suppliers and detailers must appreciate it, since they must make a lot of money hiding the gloss for Tesla owners.)

Have any other thoughts on the wonderful, smooth, elegant Tesla Model 3 interior? Think I’m fully off my rocker? Your comments are welcome … but I’ll spam them if you don’t agree with me! (jk, ofc)

If you’d like to buy a Tesla Model 3, Model S, or Model X and get some free Supercharging miles, feel free to use my special, magical, unicorn-blessed referral code: https://ts.la/zachary63404. You can also get a $100 discount on Tesla solar with that code. There is currently no use for a referral code when putting down a reservation for a Cybertruck or Model Y.
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About the Author

Zachary Shahan is tryin' to help society help itself one word at a time. He spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as its director and chief editor. He's also the CEO of Important Media. Zach is recognized globally as an electric vehicle, solar energy, and energy storage expert. He has presented about cleantech at conferences in India, the UAE, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, the USA, Canada, and Curaçao.

Zach has long-term investments in Tesla [TSLA] — after years of covering solar and EVs, he simply has a lot of faith in this company and feels like it is a good cleantech company to invest in. But he offers no investment advice and does not recommend investing in Tesla or any other company.

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