Electric car maker Tesla has made an impact in 2019, as it turned out more than 200,000 Model 3s and began delivering to overseas markets, unveiled the Model Y and the Cybertruck, completed the Shanghai Gigafactory 3 and announced a fourth in Berlin, Germany.
Tesla CEO and co-founder Elon Musk has said there won’t be any more product announcements in 2020 – although he did unveil an electric ATV along with the Cybertruck launch.
But, just in case he is running out of ideas, other parties are keen to add their suggestions of what Tesla could do next. These ones from Budget Direct are particularly interesting.
“Hot” hatchback
This is not just any Tesla-inspired hatchback designed to fight back against Volkswagen’s recently released ID3 – its a souped-up high performance hatchback dubbed a “hot hatch”.
Electric bus
Tesla plans to transform the long haul transport sector with its all-electric Semi which is slated for start of production in 2020. It’s not too a far stretch to imagine Tesla expanding into the public transport sector also, such as with this city bus designed in distrinctive Tesla style.
Tesla tractor
Why not also take the Tesla brand to the agricultural sector? Tie it in with a small scale solar farm and you have totally zero emissions farm equipment right there.
Tesla buggy
This Tesla-inspired buggy has all the cool and fun of the ATV but with stability of four wheels and added safety features including bull bar and roll cage.
Amphibious car
If you’re going to treat yourself to a Tesla for the weekend, why not an amphibious vehicle like this one? We can imagine this as a perfect getaway vehicle in the next Bond film.
Flying car
Air taxis might be all the rage by 2021 but what we haven’t seen yet from Tesla is a flying car. With drone-like foldable blades it might be the perfect answer to escape traffic doldrums (but we have to admit the styling could be less toy-like).
Tesla motorbike
Last but not least, a Tesla-inspired motorbike. It’s certainly a fine looking beast and if made with Tesla tech would be likely to be able to take on the best superbikes the planet has to offer. But would Tesla make it? We think not: in early December Musk said on Twitter that, “Electric dirt bikes would be cool too. We won’t do road bikes, as too dangerous. I was hit by a truck & almost died on one when I was 17.”
Bridie Schmidt is associate editor for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018, and has a keen interest in the role that zero-emissions transport has to play in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model Y and has it available for hire on evee.com.au.