I've been an EV critic for a long time. They still have their issues, and you will never stop me from having at least one gas/diesel car for enjoyment (and emergency). But after a few months of living with a couple different models, I can see the appeal for some specific scenarios.
But there's something else that bothers me about Tesla specifically, aside from the relentless vertical integration with parts, service, and maintainability (which is not specific to Tesla, EVs, or even the car industry since enshittification is happening everywhere these days).
Why are Teslas so plain, sterile, bland, and soulless? The Cybertruck dials this up to 11 with its cold, post-apocalyptic, brutalist appearance.
Why? There is no technological reason for this. It's a philosophical choice that says a lot about the company's vision of the future.
Where's the beauty? Where's the sophistication? Where's the color? Where are the natural materials? Where's the real wood, quilted leather, amazing seats, buttons, dials, browns, greens, and other sophistications that make a car a gorgeous, inviting place to be? It's not that Tesla executed this badly...they didn't even try. All their cars are like this, whether you buy a base-level Model 3 for $40k or a top-spec Cyberbeast for $120k.
Profit maximization is not a good enough explanation for this. It was a conscious and intentional choice the company made, and they market it as "futuristic". If this is the "future" that Tesla envisions (and designs for) then clearly it's a dystopian future where humans aren't welcome...where human senses are unimportant and irrelevant, where beautiful comfort is traded for cold utility, and where humanity is subservient to technology. It's a dark and depressing worldview. And one I will have no part in.
I'm an optimist. My personal opinion is that WAGMI, and I will always be on Team Human.
Anyone that isn't can swiftly GTFO.
But there's something else that bothers me about Tesla specifically, aside from the relentless vertical integration with parts, service, and maintainability (which is not specific to Tesla, EVs, or even the car industry since enshittification is happening everywhere these days).
Why are Teslas so plain, sterile, bland, and soulless? The Cybertruck dials this up to 11 with its cold, post-apocalyptic, brutalist appearance.
Why? There is no technological reason for this. It's a philosophical choice that says a lot about the company's vision of the future.
Where's the beauty? Where's the sophistication? Where's the color? Where are the natural materials? Where's the real wood, quilted leather, amazing seats, buttons, dials, browns, greens, and other sophistications that make a car a gorgeous, inviting place to be? It's not that Tesla executed this badly...they didn't even try. All their cars are like this, whether you buy a base-level Model 3 for $40k or a top-spec Cyberbeast for $120k.
Profit maximization is not a good enough explanation for this. It was a conscious and intentional choice the company made, and they market it as "futuristic". If this is the "future" that Tesla envisions (and designs for) then clearly it's a dystopian future where humans aren't welcome...where human senses are unimportant and irrelevant, where beautiful comfort is traded for cold utility, and where humanity is subservient to technology. It's a dark and depressing worldview. And one I will have no part in.
I'm an optimist. My personal opinion is that WAGMI, and I will always be on Team Human.
Anyone that isn't can swiftly GTFO.