Tesla's chief designer, Franz von Holzhausen, discusses many topics in his latest interview

This Sunday, Tesla's chief designer Franz von Holzhausen gave an hour-long interview to Ryan McCaffrey. They talked about many topics, about Cybertruck, the next generation Roadster, the new steering wheel options for the Model S and X, and more.


After McCaffrey asked if the overall design of the Cybertruck was complete, Franz von Holzhausen replied, "Yes. Basically, yes." McCaffrey also mentioned that production is scheduled for less than six months from now, and Franz von Holzhausen did not deny nor did he indicate that anything could delay the final manufacturing phase. While Franz von Holzhausen himself didn't specify a start date for production, he didn't mind that McCaffrey gave a production date of mid-2023, with mass deliveries starting at the end of the year.

Another thing that can be confirmed about the Cybertruck getting is how the door handles will work, Franz von Holzhausen said they didn't punch a hole in the super hard 30X cold rolled stainless steel door panels to simplify the manufacturing process, so instead of having door handles they will function the same as the Model X front doors, they will automatically pop out when you approach the vehicle. And the rear doors could be the same design.

Cybertruck InteriorImage source: u/X5AT_1/Reddit

Von Holzhausen confirmed confirmation that the Yoke steering wheel will be part of Cybertruck and that the Yoke steering wheel will likely be a standard option. Many customers continue to prefer the standard steering wheel in the updated Model S and Model X, so Tesla may let customers choose the traditional steering wheel over the polarizing Yoke steering wheel.

There was also some interesting talk about the Cybertruck, such as how the stainless steel finish will remove scratches, and Franz von Holzhausen teased that there are still some features that have not been announced, but they will be "pleasant surprises" and something that is "competitive for the product.

Franz von Holzhausen is certain that there are still some unannounced features for Cybertruck, and he didn't even hint at what those might be, without sharing any details.


Assembly of the 9,000-ton Giga press used to produce the Cybertruck has already begun at Giga Texas. It took about two months to set up and calibrate the first Giga press for the production of the Y at the Fremont plant. However, the 9,000-ton Giga press is much larger and therefore may take longer to install. On the other hand, the experience gained from installing and setting up previous machines can also help to set up this Giga press faster. In any case, there is reason to believe that Tesla will have time to complete its installation and go into production by mid-year.


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John Murphy

John Murphy is the founder of TOPCARS Tesla Aftermarket Accessories, as well as an investor in Tesla and owner of the Model Y. He posts about Tesla news while running the site on a daily basis.

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