Who is Franz Von Holzhausen?
Who designed the Model 3?
Where is Franz von Holzhausen from?
Tesla has revolutionized the automobile industry. It has single handedly proved the rapid transition of major automakers towards the production of electric vehicles.
People are always looking out for the next big thing from Tesla.
But when people talk about these breakthroughs, you constantly hear Elon Musk's name. Little do they know, one of the major gateways to Tesla's success is the company's Chief Automotive Designer Franz von Holzhausen.
Let’s switch things up a bit and put him under the spotlight this time. Here’s everything you need to know about him!
Franz von Holzhausen: A Myth?
Who is Franz Von Holzhausen?
Franz Von Holzhausen is the principal designer for Tesla Motors, the luxury electric car firm dubbed "the Apple of the automobile industry."
Who designed the Tesla Model S?
Franz Von Holzhausen. This implies that the 47-year-old is also the mastermind behind the Tesla Model S, a car that has won widespread industry acclaim, as well as the Cybertruck.
Despite the fact that he is the lead designer for such a well-known automotive firm, not a lot is known about Von Holzhausen.
His Wikipedia article is less than 150 words long, and he has given barely a few major news interviews.
He's only ever tweeted twice, and there's no information regarding his income or net worth available in the public domain. But like anyone else on the planet, he’s not all that elusive.
The Inspiration behind Tesla Cybertruck
Did Elon Musk design the Cybertruck?
No, the Tesla CyberTruck was designed by Franz Von Holzhausen.
A rare Q&A session with Von Holzhausen conducted in China has surfaced. I
n the conversation, Franz discussed the design of the Cybertruck as well as the ideas that went into giving the all-electric pickup truck its distinctive origami-like look.
Franz mentioned that while developing the Cybertruck, Tesla faced a number of noteworthy difficulties.
The Tesla Chief Designer said that even while the United States is home to many excellent pickup trucks, there is still plenty of potential in the market. Cybertruck specifically targets some of these opportunities.
Franz claims that Tesla thinks pickup trucks need to be robust and long-lasting. The EV maker also chose to utilize stainless steel, which is much more robust, because current pickup trucks are vulnerable to problems like dents, scratches, and wear.
But since it is hard to produce, working with stainless steel has its own series of challenges.
Due to the exoskeleton of the pickup truck being folded rather than stamped, the Cybertruck evolved into an XY motif.
Franz mentioned that Tesla turned to aircraft like fighter planes as a foundation for the design inspiration for the Cybertruck.
The steel pickup, especially when it has Tesla's all-electric ATV on its bed, has a profile that is similar to that of the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk, a stealth fighter aircraft that was in commission from October 1983 to April 2008.
Here are my top reasons why I think the Cybertruck is so special.
Five Things You Need to Know About Von Holzhausen:
1. Where is he from?
Where’s Franz Von Holzhausen from?
He is not German.
Despite his name, he was born in Connecticut. Although he does have an international slant. According to a 2010 interview, Von Holzhausen spent a significant chunk of his student years in Switzerland.
That's most likely where he learned German.
He speaks German well enough to mock Tesla competitor BMW in the carmaker's native tongue. In 2013, he told German automobile portal autobild.de that "der i3 ist wie ein IKEA-Möbelstück," which translates to is like a piece of furniture from IKEA.
2. Elon Musk Thinks Very Highly of Von.
What does Elon Musk think of Von Holzhausen?
According to reports, Von Holzhausen was personally invited by Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, to join the company from Mazda back in 2008.
After touring the Palo Alto, California, headquarters with Musk, Von Holzhausen was convinced of the company's dedication to a sustainable goal and has remained with Tesla ever since.
Von Holzhausen made a decision that many experts questioned when he switched from Mazda to Tesla. According to conventional thinking, leaving a reputable automaker put him off the path to success.
Instead of playing it safe, he gambled on a business that many said would fail before it could fulfill any of its future commitments.
His decision put him on a different course and produced amazing outcomes.
3. He is Good with His Work
How good is Franz Von Holzhausen?
At Tesla, Von Holzhausen's first assignment was to develop an electric vehicle from scratch, which was unusual. But that is what led to the There are over 250 original patents on the finished Model S.
After making its announcement in 2009, Tesla only needed around eight months to create the Model S prototype. For the majority of automakers, this procedure takes years.
Even though Von Holzhausen and his colleagues reportedly spent many sleepless hours, they are also credited with streamlining their process to optimize outcomes and cut down on what they believed to be needless stages.
He was also responsible for establishing the Model S as the centerpiece of the Tesla brand's overall design language.
Von Holzhausen stated in a 2010 interview that he resisted the impulse to make his designs "ultra avant-garde" in order to appeal to a wide audience. The end product is a stylish automobile that can be sold to anyone.
The greatest industrial design of the year is recognized each year with the IDEA Best in Show Award, which went to the Model S in 2013. Both its aerodynamic design and Von Holzhausen's innovative approach to the project have received accolades from critics. He designed an all-new architecture specifically for electric cars.
The strategy used by Von Holzhausen focuses on specifics that other automakers take for granted in order to profit from frequently ignored regions.
For instance, he changed the design of the door handle to enhance a driver's first contact with the automobile.
4. His Life Before Tesla
In 1992, Von Holzhausen started working as a professional designer, helping with the design of the VW Concept One, or the 90s "New Beetle."
After that, he spent five years working for GM until joining Mazda in 2005. Von Holzhausen developed the Mazda Kabura, a very popular sporty concept vehicle.
Even farther back, Von Holzhausen spent two years at Syracuse University before transferring to the Pasadena-based Art Center College of Design, whose prominent graduates include Chris Bangle, a former BMW design executive, and Michael Bay, the director of the "Transformers" film franchise.
His undergraduate degree is in transportation design.
5. The Inspiration Behind the Tesla Model S
The Tour De France. He admitted to Bloomberg that he made an effort to model his design after the "sinewy" body of endurance athletes. He argues that efficiency is the ultimate motivating factor in everything.
Conclusion
Finally, how good is Franz Von Holzhausen?
Von Holzhausen didn't come up with any brand-new techniques for designing vehicles; instead, he switched up the context and looked at innovative approaches in design paradigms he already knew.
This ability is the core of any successful designer. Franz has proven this in practice.
After Elon Musk himself, if Tesla’s success can be credited to anyone, it is only one person. Franz von Holzhausen. He’s not only put the company on a path to success but completely changed the entire EV landscape with his bold and innovative approach to design.
His work and dedication have also been a source of inspiration for us, which is why we decided to work on the Cyberbackpack, the Cyberpowerbank, and the Cybersling backpack in the first place!
We do hope this article answers your question; who designed the Tesla CyberTruck :)
