Tesla, a global leader in automotive manufacturing, has crafted some of the finest electric cars available today. Regardless of your opinion on Elon Musk, Tesla has undeniably made a mark.
The company’s journey has been a rollercoaster, and there are some intriguing facts about Tesla that you might have missed. We are here to ensure you are well-informed about these.
Elon Musk Is Not An Original Tesla Founder
Despite his prominence in the company and having led Tesla since 2007, Musk is not one of its founders. Tesla was first established by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning in 2003, with Ian Wright joining the team a short while later.
In February 2004, Elon Musk made his impactful entry into the company, leading the Series A funding round and joining the board as first chairman and then later CEO of Tesla. There was, however, a legal agreement later in 2004 between Eberhard, Tarpenning, Musk, Ian Wright, and JB Straubel to call themselves Tesla founders. Musk is now the face and name most associated with Tesla, a testament to his invaluable contributions.
The Tesla Model S Has A Hidden Mode
Elon Musk is no stranger to easter eggs and gimmicks on its cars, with features such as the whoopie cushion and a log fire, two of the strange additions. Yet one of the craziest hidden features is the James Bond mode that you can access on the Tesla Model S.
Musk’s love for James Bond films is evident in the playful addition he made to the Model S and the Model X. By pressing and holding the T button to access the technician log-in screen and entering the secret code 007, the car displayed on the infotainment screen transforms into the iconic Lotus Esprit S1 from the 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me, a delightful surprise for any Tesla owner.
Tesla Is Named After Nikola Tesla
Tesla takes its name from Nikola Tesla, who invented the alternating current. Nikola Tesla was born on July 10th, 1856, registered more than 300 patents, and is credited with inventing wireless communication and the radio. Tesla is also credited with proposing the idea of solar power.
The famous inventor also appeared on the front of Time magazine to celebrate his 75th birthday. Musk wanted Tesla Motors to become simply ‘Tesla’ after the inventor, which marked a change from the original name Silicon Valley Motors (SRA), a name Musk wasn’t particularly fond of.
The First Tesla Was The Roadster
It was a long road for Tesla to become a significant player in the automotive market, and the journey began with the 2008 Roadster. Tesla built the Roadster to show that an electric car could outperform a gas-guzzling internal-combustion engine car for a fraction of the price of a regular car.
The Roadster is based on the Lotus Elise chassis. It was the first road-legal serial production, all-electric car to use lithium-ion batteries. The Roadster was impressive for a first attempt at an EV, with an EPA-estimated range of 244 miles and a top speed of 125 mph. Tesla is working on a mass-production second-generation Roadster, which should launch in 2024.
The Tesla Model S Adjusts Its Suspension Height
One of the most impressive aspects of any Tesla is the software in each car, with the recent 6.0 version being one of the best iterations yet. Not only do the software updates fix bugs, but they also add new features to each Tesla, and you do not need to visit a dealer to add them to the car.
One of the most exciting features of the Tesla Model S is the location-based air suspension. When the driver raises the Model S, the car stores the location and remembers that you need extra ground clearance there. The next time you arrive at that location, the Model S will lift itself to give you the ground clearance you need.
Tesla Has Broken Records At The Nurburgring
Tesla has been fearless in showing off what its cars can do, and it has taken the Model S to the famous Nurburgring track to prove that. In the latter half of 2023, Tesla took its Model S Plaid to the track to steal the best lap time for a production EV record from Porsche and the Taycan Turbo S.
The Model S Plaid went around the famous 12.9-mile circuit in seven minutes and 25.231 seconds. Footage uploaded onto YouTube shows off the Model S Plaid during its lap, revealing how hard the driver was pushing. This beat the previous record set by the Model S Plaid in 2021, which stood at seven minutes and 30.909 seconds.
Tesla Car Designs Are Free From Patents
Many manufacturers will patent their designs to prevent rivals from stealing them and making something similar to what is already on the market. Yet Tesla seems relaxed about this, with all its car designs open source. This has allowed the Tesla Model S to become the world’s first open-source car.
Tesla started releasing its patents to the world in 2014 to further the advancement of electric car technology, which could benefit all of us. Musk hoped this decision would help accelerate the adoption of electric cars, and perhaps it is a sign that Tesla feels there is no real threat to its EV dominance from rival manufacturers.
Tesla Model X Is The Safest Car Tested By The NHTSA
Most of their products have been praised because of all the criticism towards Tesla. The safety aspect is one of the best of all, and Tesla is the safest car, as it has been tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Model X would receive a five-star safety rating in every category and subcategory, which would be a triumph for Tesla.
The crash test involved a full-width frontal crash test plus a side crash test, and the front of the Model X also received five stars in each category. Although it scored slightly lower on the rollover rating, it received four out of five stars.
Tesla Bioweapon Defense Mode
One of the most unusual and least understood features is the Tesla Bioweapon Defense Mode. This clever system uses a set of HEPA filters and chemical converters to help filter out harmful particulates and pollution within the Tesla cabin, ensuring the highest air quality possible inside the Tesla.
This works best in the middle of a city or urban environment, mainly where severe pollution is a significant problem. Tesla tested the feature with a Model X inside a plastic bubble with the doors open, and as they contaminate the air in the bubble, the Bioweapon system and HEPA filters did the job and cleared the air in less than two minutes.
Only Six Parts Need Replacing On A Tesla
Thanks to the lack of an internal combustion engine and increased use of electronics, only a few parts need replacing on a Tesla. With how Tesla builds its cars, only six parts need regular replacement, including the two windshield wiper blades and the four tires.
Aside from those, Tesla says all other components should hold up for nearly the car’s entire life. In theory, this will save owners of the Tesla money in the long run and massively cut down on how many times they need to visit the dealer with no longer a need for servicing. Of course, that doesn’t include the chance of sudden failures of components that can happen in any car.
Tesla’s Have A Special Dog Mode
Many of us own dogs and want to take them in our cars, whether we’re going for a day out or on vacation. Tesla and Musk have considered this and added a “dog mode” to their vehicles to keep them safe and comfortable, particularly if you need to leave them in the car as you nip into a store.
Doge Mode first appeared in 2019, and it automatically regulates the temperature of the Tesla within the cabin. This ensures the dog is relaxed and comfortable even on a hot day. To avoid passersby breaking into your car to free a dog if they believe it is distressed, the vehicle plays an audio message to let them know the dog is safe.
Tesla’s Cybertruck Has Had A Recent Recall
Since its debut in 2019, the striking Tesla Cybertruck has had several delays and issues. However, embarrassingly for Musk and Tesla, the Cybertruck has had a recent recall due to a significant safety concern.
The concern lies with the gas pedals and the risk of them getting trapped by the interior trim. This could cause them to stick open. The gas pad can become dislodged and become trapped within the interior trim. This massively increases the risk of an accident, serious injury, and perhaps even death. The recall affected 3,878 Cubertrucks made between November 2023 and April 2024, which isn’t something owners of the $61,000 vehicle would have wanted to hear.
