Elon Musk reveals the ‘Art Deco’ design inspiration behind Tesla’s Robovan

• Elon Musk wowed onlookers with the unveiling of Tesla’s Robovan at the ‘We Robot’ event on Thursday.

• Musk shared on X that the design of the Robovan was inspired by Art Deco trains.

• The Robovan has a sleek and futuristic design and can accommodate 20 passengers.

Tesla looked to the past for inspiration in the design of its futuristic Robovan.

Elon Musk finally revealed the long-awaited Robotaxi at Tesla’s “We Robot” event on Thursday, but the biggest surprise was the unveiling of the multi-passenger Robovan.

“What if you need a vehicle that’s bigger than a Model Y?” Musk said Thursday evening before the bus-like vehicle arrived on stage.

Tesla’s Robovan will eventually be the latest addition from Tesla fleet of sedans and cybertrucksthough Musk didn’t reveal details about the Robovan’s price or release date.

The interior, which Musk said was “meant to feel like a spaceship,” featured sleek, white, spacious seats complemented by blue LED lights that cast a cool glow inside. The Robovan seats 20 passengers and carries cargo, Musk said at the event. It can also be used as a “school bus, RV or cargo,” the company said in a post on X, and Musk also seemed receptive to the idea of ​​people creating their own studio on wheels.

But the exterior aesthetics of the Robovan seem to be inspired by the Art Deco design period of the early 20th century.

Musk wrote “Futuristic Art Deco Bus” in a post on X last night with a photo of the Robovan. In response to a user asking what inspired the design, Musk replied: “Art deco train.”

Art Deco trains were a product of the Art Deco era, which took place in the 1920s and 1930s. The style of the era was characterized by modern geometric designs. The trains of the era were known to embody the streamlined and luxurious aesthetic of the era.

One user replied to the thread with a photo of what appears to be a Mercury train, to which Musk responded with a bull’s-eye emoji. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The New York Central Railroad’s Mercury trains were an example of Art Deco-inspired trains. Designed by Henry Dreyfuss, the Mercury trains exemplified the sleek aerodynamic aesthetic and luxurious interior of the era. The success of the Mercury cemented Dreyfuss’s reputation as a leading figure in American industrial design.

Musk may have painted a vivid picture of what the future will look like with his upcoming dancing, autonomous vehicles Optimus robots, but it also didn’t make clear enough what Tesla’s near-term business model is for the vehicles, leaving investors with more questions than answers.

Tesla shares were down 7.3% the morning after Tesla’s big event.

Read the original article on Business Insider