It’s no secret that the tech-savvy millennials are huge fans of billionaire Elon Musk and his Tesla Motors company. Nowadays, it seems like Tesla’s impact on pop culture is impossible to overstate.
Elon Musk is known for being a bit of a showman, but even by his standards, the latest Tesla unveiling was a thing of beauty. Bordering on genius, Musk unveiled the Tesla Roadster 2.0, a two-seat sports car with all the amenities of a luxury yacht. Just like that, Musk erased any doubts about his involvement in the car industry and restored his reputation as the ultimate futurist.
What’s more is that the sports car wasn’t even the most surprising part of the unveiling. That title probably goes to the Tesla Cybertruck, an electric semi-truck that looks like something out of Neurons Inc. In other words, a machine that not even the most ardent gearhead could describe as ‘sporty.’
But while Tesla is responsible for some of the most innovative transportation devices of our time, it’s not the only company Elon Musk has helped turn into a reality. The founder of SpaceX has also played a hand in the design of human-rated rockets, the Falcon 9 and the Falcon Heavy, as well as the interiors of their capsules.
As it turns out, the man behind the curtain, so to speak, is none other than Hollywood heartthrob Robert Pattinson. For the past few years, the Twi-Hard actor has been seen collaborating with Musk on an array of projects, from the interior design of a luxury submarine to creating futuristic billboards that adorn the Los Angeles streets.
Robert Pattinson Designs Tesla Cybertruck
If you’ve ever seen the actor in a movie, you’ll most likely have noticed that he is a man who loves his cars. In fact, he has a fairly large collection of vehicles, most of which are either classic cars or customized motorbikes. As it turns out, that love for cars is more than skin-deep. In an interview with Gizmodo, the actor talked about how he got involved with the Tesla design process and what it was like to work with Elon Musk.
“I’ve known Elon for a while now and he really is a genius when it comes to cars. He’s got such a passion for them, especially modified cars. So, when he asked me if I wanted to help with the design of the Tesla Cybertruck, I couldn’t say no. It was such an amazing opportunity to be able to contribute my two cents,” said Pattinson. “I’ve been working on the layout for a while and I even did a little modeling on my own. It’s really cool to see your ideas come to life in such a short amount of time. And, being able to help with the design process, I got to see how everything came together. It was really inspiring.”
Musk and Pattinson first collaborated on the interior of a SpaceX rocket back in 2015. As the years went by, the actor became more involved with SpaceX, working on projects such as the Dragon V2 spacecraft and the Big Falcon Rocket. Most recently, the two teamed up to design the interiors of two different luxury submarines. Although the interior design processes for both were fairly similar, each project had its own perks. When it comes to designing submarines, Musk is very particular about the materials he uses and the fit and finish of the products. For example, he won’t work with fiberglass, preferring instead to use kevlar or steel.
“It’s not an easy task fitting 10-12 people inside a submarine, especially when you want everything to look flawless when you’re under water. We spent a lot of time making sure that everything came together nicely, that the seating feels right and the ergonomics are great,” said Pattinson. “There were definitely some challenges, not having anyone around to help is quite difficult when you’re trying to make something as big as a submarine. So, it took us a lot longer than we expected, but we were able to come up with something cool.”
Musk, Pattinson And The Luxury Submarine Design Process
Musk and Pattinson’s design process for the submarine began with the former going through the engineering drawings and the later presenting his own models. From there, the two started working together, refining the design and coming up with a final product that would be both practical and aesthetically pleasing.
Since both men are car enthusiasts, it’s no surprise that the first collaboration came about in the form of a luxury submarine. However, that’s not the only project the two have worked on together. In fact, as Musk explained in an interview with CBS, they have designed submarines for the Russian and American governments as well as “many private citizens.”
“We’ve gotten to meet a lot of interesting people and I think that the people we’ve been working with have been really appreciative of what we were able to contribute to their submarine projects. So, it’s been a pretty interesting experience,” said Pattinson. “Sometimes, people think that just because you’re famous, that you have something to offer just because you’re famous. But, actually, there’s a lot of hard work that goes into creating something special. You have to have a lot of drive and determination to make something happen. So, it’s been a real lesson for me.”
Making A Difference Through Design
Besides designing cars and submarines, Elon Musk is also the co-founder of a company called Neuralink, which he refers to as the “Uber for neural implants.” Neuralink is designing the technology to allow humans to communicate with one another directly through their brains. In short, it’s a sort of telepathy.
Neuralink is still in its early stages of development and the project is massively over-funded. However, even if the technology isn’t quite ready to be adopted, Musk’s work with Neuralink is already making a difference. For starters, the company has helped raise over $16.8 million for the Larger Society for Sensory Loss, a non-profit that provides support for people living with sensory loss. In addition, Musk is also personally contributing to the research and development of neural implants through the Musk Foundation. Finally, Musk has stated that he hopes his work with Neuralink will help “advance the state of the art by orders of magnitude.” In other words, he wants to make a difference through design, one project at a time.
As mentioned above, Musk and Pattinson have been working hand in hand on a variety of projects for the past few years. Besides submarines and luxury cars, the two have also worked on projects for the US Army, NASA, and the private sector. Of course, not everything has been rosy. The two had to shut down their design studio in the midst of a pandemic, but that didn’t stop them from coming up with ideas for new vehicles and other technology, like AI. Ultimately, they want their designs to make a difference and help people.
Pattinson wouldn’t mind having a hand in every aspect of design. “I think that my involvement with the arts has helped me to become a better designer. When you do something for so long, you begin to see it from different points of view. So, being able to work with people that are experts in their field is very valuable,” he said. “It’s not just about the finished product, it’s about the entire process. You can’t measure the value of that, in terms of helping people and making a difference.”
Ultimately, it’s safe to say that Elon Musk is one of the most prominent and well-respected figures in the world of technology and design. Over the years, he has designed some of the most innovative and recognizable vehicles ever made, including the SpaceX Falcon 9 and the Tesla Roadster. In addition, he has also founded and run multiple successful companies, including Tesla Motors and PayPal. With all this, it’s no wonder that his design studio, SpaceX, has been valued at over $16 billion. Not bad for a guy who began his career working part-time as a model for a fashion company.