- Tesla is the highest valued
car manufacturer in the world. And it makes sense why,
they build an amazing car. They have an iconic CEO and have pioneered much of the electric vehicle industry. It's no wonder so many
people love the cars that Tesla makes but some people might love Tesla, a little too much. See for years, car
companies like Toyota, BMW, and Nissan have made
vehicles for the masses. And while they produce some amazing cars none of them have been
able to replicate the same cult following that Tesla has created. Now, Tesla fans, you guys are great. I'm happy to have you here but some of you are a little scary. These are the Tesla super fans. These folks are obsessed with Tesla and are very different from
your average car enthusiast. Why is this? Why is Tesla such
a cult in the first place? How do Tesla enthusiast
fit into the car community? And are we at risk of Tesla
stans ruining the car culture? It's a very inflammatory title this week. Let's see if I can back it up. Thank you to Manscaped for
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your personal hygiene game head on over to manscape.com/donut to get 20% off plus free international shipping. Now let's get back to me. We can't talk about Tesla
without talking about the man behind it all Elon
Musk, whether it's smoking a J on the Joe Rogan podcast,
naming his child X Æ A-12 or building his own flame thrower and selling it to the public. Musk is constantly in the public eye. And for good reason,
he's an internet enigma and self-proclaimed billionaire meme lord. I mean, come on, he used hamsters as a unit of measurement for one of his new factories,
which he said was able to hold nearly 50 billion hamsters. RIP to my hamster,
Baxter. As far as CEOs go his personality is unique and
the public has fallen for him. Unfortunately, some people AKA super fans might fanboy over Elan, a little too much. Many Tesla YouTubers
reported losing subscribers after posting videos that
are critical of the company. This fringe group of fans seems
to find no fault with Musk, Tesla, his hamsters, or anything he does. These Tesla owners adore Elon and have a propensity to radically defend any criticisms thrown
towards him or Tesla. To them, Tesla is perfect and is the peak of automotive engineering and no other car company even comes close. Some people call this
fringe group of fans, Musketeers but whatever you call them they're not your average car enthusiast. What makes them different? I would argue that most
car enthusiasts seem to have a broad appreciation for all cars. Like I'm not saying every car nerd loves Japanese drift cars, American V8s, or Italian Supercars, all the same. But for these Tesla
super fans, Tesla is it. There are a few reasons that
play into Tesla extremism but most fingers pointing back
to what I mentioned earlier. Elon Musk, Elon does a lot
of things well, but he excels at one thing better than
any other CEO or billionare on the planet, which is
his ability to understand and connect with younger generations. He stands out among the other CEO's that he's grouped with, I mean. How many other car
companies CEOs can you name? Like for me it's William Ford,
but that's cause it's Ford. Elon is clearly having
some fun at his job. For example, he claims
that next year he'll be launching a doge coin funded
satellite to the moon. He's going to call it doge_1.
We'll see how that works out. Of course Elon didn't tweet about how innovative he is or
how his space technology is exceeding everyone's expectations. His excitement was focused on sending the "first meme to space". And I have to admit,
that's just good marketing. It's this type of attitude
that sets Elon Musk apart and his fans are captivated by it. Musk doesn't need any type
of advanced marketing scheme or press release to sell his cars. Heck, Tesla doesn't even have an active public relations department. And few journalists can
even get a hold of Tesla. Some would say, this is a
poor move on Tesla's part but it hasn't hurt them quite yet. Everything Elon does seems
to get him the exposure he needs to sell his products
and his fans do a great job of getting the word out
for better or for worse. No other CEO has connected with their customers on the level that Elon has. It's a big reason why so
many younger people look up to him and want to purchase his cars. Of course, it's important to remember that not all Tesla owners are
Elon fanatics or super fans, but it seems his personality
has had a huge influence on his car sales and his cult following. Where does this leave other car companies? What do other manufacturers need to do in order to create their own following and compete with Elon and Tesla? And are there any risks of doing so? I think many car manufacturers would find it beneficial to experiment with a slightly more informal social media approach, like Elon has. Think about a company like Wendy's their Twitter is pretty funny, right? They freely roast people and make jokes. They start beef with other
fast-food restaurants. And because of this,
it's hard not to think about Wendy's without
thinking about their Twitter. Now imagine if Toyota
actively posted cheesy super memes are jokingly
stabbed at Honda on Twitter. The internet would probably love it. And it would probably catch the interest of a younger consumer base. People expect big companies to be formal and play by the rules,
but things are changing. And nowadays an edgy Twitter
account is an easy way to get free exposure and gets a lot of people excited about the brand. Elon is essentially doing
the same thing as Wendy's but he's just attaching
his name to Tesla, right? Brands taking on these
internet personalities has been a recent phenomenon and who knows maybe some car companies
might find the same success Tesla and Wendy's have found by shredding their stuffy reputations and loosening up a little bit. Hey, if you're liking this episode so far go ahead and give us a like, it really helps us out and I really appreciate it. So what are some other
ways that car manufacturers can compete with Tesla
and grow their following? Marketing aside, I think it's important for other car companies
to begin building EVs that can truly compete with Tesla. Which honestly we've
already seen a lot of. Elon raise the bar for
the automotive industry turning the idea of EVs from
a boring eco-friendly car into a sexy and desirable vehicle. Tesla even made the lithium
battery technology available to their competition in
order to fuel EV innovation. Elon truly wants to see EV succeed. And he wants to see the best car win. Tesla has encouraged manufacturers to set their sights to
EV and we've gotten cars like the Porsche Taycan
and the Mustang Mach E but even with cars like these. Companies just can't seem to achieve the same cult following. Time will tell though, and
soon enough, Tesla will have plenty of competitors that offer cars with similar or even better performance. With more EVs on the market, Tesla may soon lose some of its hype. And in turn, some of its
cult following, or other companies may grow their
following through the EV market. There's really no way to
tell what might happen. There's no doubt an influx of people have entered the car
scene because of Tesla. Well, I think they're
not so much car nerds as they are tech enthusiasts. It makes sense why tech people would love Tesla so much in the first place. This is the first time a car company has merged computers
and cars at this level. And it's the ultimate
gadget for tech nerds whether it's Tesla autopilot,
or touchscreen control unit that controls the
whole car Tesla's are practically One PLus nine pros on wheels. And with tech being
such a massive industry. It was only a matter of time before tech people were integrated in
the car scene at this level. But the question still
remains are Tesla super fans still car enthusiasts or are they just misunderstood tech enthusiasts? And if they're just tech fans, are they really impacting
car culture negatively? Well, yes and no. Let me explain. People buy Teslas for a
lot of different reasons. Some car enthusiasts love
them for their performance. Some people love the cool technology. Some people buy them
because they appreciate the relatively eco-friendly technology. And some Elon stans just
want one of his vehicles. There are tons of car enthusiasts and gearheads that own
Teslas and love them. But there are plenty of people who buy Teslas just because of Elon Musk. And I think these are the
people who aren't necessarily car enthusiast, but more
so Tesla enthusiasts and a select group of
these people have turned into the infamous super
fans that we talked about. This brand loyalty isn't completely unheard of in the car scene though. Think about like Corvette
boomers, you know the old guys that drive Corvettes and meet up with each other to
compare autocross times and discuss their new balances in a Shakey's pizza parking lot. They love their Corvettes,
which is awesome but they don't really seem to be interested in any other kind of car. They've earned themselves a
reputation in the car scene. And I don't think these
guys are much different than the tech junkies who love Teslas. They both enjoy their
cars. They don't really associate themselves with any other type of driver and you know what that's okay. Our beloved Corvette boomers don't seem to be causing much harm, but what
about our Tesla's super fans? What's their role in the car culture. See Tesla ownership isn't just a brand. It's a culture. They have
their own Tesla websites and Tesla meets exclusively for Teslas and really only mingle with one another. Tesla super fans don't seem to
be interested in other cars. And it seems to stem from the belief that Teslas are better
than every other car in the market and are the future
of the automotive industry. Don't get me wrong. I think
the technology is amazing but I think the trendiness
and performance of Teslas breeds a sort of haughty
elitism among some super fans. You've probably seen this
before. You're on the freeway. Your windows are rolled down
because it's warm night. The sun is setting beneath the horizon. And then when everything is
going right, a Tesla cruises by you and his license
plate reads NO-F-N-GAS. A single tear streams down your face, in visible frustration. You think to yourself,
"what kind of person would spend 50 extra
dollars on registration to tell me his electric
car doesn't run on gas?" This is worse than the one I saw yesterday in the trader Joe's parking lot which said, thanks Elon, come on. Do they make you sign a contract that you have to get a vanity plate when you roll it off the lot. What's going on? I know your electric car is electric. That's the whole (beep) point. It's in the name, it's called a Tesla. It implies electricity. There's no other car owner like this. BMW owners don't like put like "NO BLNKR" on their plates, right? To their credit, I feel like Prius owners did do this in like 2006. So I know it's not just you, Tesla people. What is it, like every time there's like a trendy environmental car, They have to proclaim it to the world. I did pay for a thicc boi license plates but once the DMV contacted me,
I realized that I could not in good conscious put
that on my daily driver. That would just be
embarrassing, couldn't do it. Before we get upset with super fans for loving Elon Musk
and his Tesla so much. It's important to realize
we share some similarities with these super fans as well. Sure. Super fans love Elon Musk and buy his cars because of that. But regular car enthusiasts
have bought cars because of central figures too. Think about Carol Shelby, a guy that we worship on this channel. He was an extremely iconic name in racing and heavily influenced the
production and sales of cars. Like the Cobra, Mustang,
lots of Ford products. People venerated him and bought his vehicles because of that. You can even argue
that, Takami's character in "Initial D" ushered in some of the popularity of the Toyota 86. In fact, I'd say all of
the popularity of the AE86. Why else would people spend
$15,000 on a 30 year old Toyota that barely has 150 horsepower? Yes. It's a little weird to compare Elon Musk to an anime character. But to some degree, the
principle still applies. In the end, a true car enthusiast
should appreciate all cars because after all they're
an enthusiast, this means that V8 guys should be
able to have a level of respect for the Tesla Roadster, and Tesla guys should be able
to appreciate the culture and the heritage of a Pontiac
GTO, so on and so forth. All cars have their benefits and drawbacks and Teslas have their drawbacks,
just like any other car. It's okay to be passionate
about something. But if that passion is invalidating or criticizing someone
else's passion or interest there's probably an inflated ego involved or you just worship your
car a little too much. Let's remember to approach
others with a sense of respect and appreciation
for one another's builds. So next time you see a
Tesla with a cool wrap or a slam civic that can
hardly go over speed bumps make sure you give them
a wave and a smile. (car revs)
(tire screeches) - [Etherial Voice] Have
you ever dreamed of a world where cars and ideas create vision. Where collectibles are not only collected? They are felt. - Introducing the latest
innovation in cars and collectibles Stocky
(bouncy music) - Introducing Stocky, the brand new, high quality car collectible
for us, car nerds. We wanted to make something
the perfect size to display on your desk, next to your TV, and your dorm room, in the shop, wherever. We explored a ton of
different deformations before finally landing on this something that we think
is the perfect mix of fun and style while still staying
true to the original car. Speaking of the car, we want to make a ton of different Stockys,
but for Stocky 0-0-1, we knew that we had to go
with one of the most iconic and legendary tuner cars of
all time the DC2 Integra type R and I am so stoked to announce that we have partnered with Acura, making this an officially
licensed Acura product. We're launching this in a bunch of sick different color ways. Everything from OEM
finishes like Phoenix yellow authentic Honda championship
white, Nighthawk black Pearl, to crazy versions like glow in the dark, primer gray, translucent. We're even going to make a
gold one like actual gold. We're really stoked
with how it turned out. And we hope that you guys are too. Now's your chance. Get one early. The Kickstarter is only up for 30 days. Get yourself a red, new
collectible. You deserve it. My dream is to see shelves of these things in your guys's apartments. Not that I'm creeping on
your apartments or anything. You know what I mean? Let's
make Stocky a reality. - Thank you for watching Wheelhouse. Like I said, be kind, it's what I say at the end of every
episode, don't be a jerk. Don't be a jerk about cars.
Everyone's got their own thing. If everybody liked the same
stuff life would be very boring. So just appreciate the differences. Maybe we can learn a little something too. Let me know in the comments your favorite Tesla license plate that you've seen or license plate that you'd
put on your electric car. Why not? Points for creativity. Check out this episode of Wheelhouse on whether electric cars are good
or bad for the environment. That's one of my favorite episodes. If you're a Doughnut super freak and you want to talk to other fans and get behind the scenes
videos and other extra content. Make sure you check out
the Donut Underground by hitting that join button down there. Follow Donut on all
social media @donutmedia. Follow me @nolanjaysykes, if you'd like. Be kind, don't be a jerk.
We'll see you next time.
They already are...
Abso-fucking-lutely
They’re sure trying. Techbros basically ruin every hobby they collectively enter by reducing it to bragging about numbers on spec sheets and being toxic to those who make different consumer goods purchasing decisions…
I think its a combination of the Fanboys and the Time we are living in. At this time you can say things that are completely wrong or bullshit but when you repeat it over and over again, it becomes the truth. See Trump, Elon, and many more! Even the holy 0-60 time from Tesla is from a rolling start and with 1 foot rollout. And it is stated on theire site, but the most important „ev metric“. When you tell it, temp. Ban from the other sub.
So let them isolate themself.
These people aren't just fanboys or stans, they also don't want their awkward nerd power fantasy to come apart. Here comes this technojesus billionaire, a 'self made man', a pudgy, awkward, balding 'engineer' memelord, who 'against all odds jump started EV's and a race to Mars and becoming an interplanetary species', and has had multiple supermodel/starlet wives and girlfriends. He's what boys who watched Iron Man and Big Hero Six wished they could be. He's a literal juvenile comic book character version of achievement.
I also on first glance felt elated when I read the BS Elon pays these shill journalists and vloggers to say about him, because I love EV's and loved the idea of another inventor/engineer/James Dyson/Woz type getting due praise. Took like ten minutes of a couple of interviews for me to realize he talked like an awkward sales guy/consultant who learnt just enough to fool investors that he had domain expertise. How wonky and dialed to 11 the coverage of Tesla was and then the shameless "FOMO or YOLO?" stock shilling made me even more suspicious. A few google searches later I realized how much of disappointingly typical scam this guy and his company is. Not everyone bothers to look up a counternarrative. Go to a Tesla sub and you're literally punished and banned for bringing up 'negativity', that's all it takes to create a cult.
Ev ruin car culture to some degree just by the lack of options and modifications that count.
Pretend it’s not Tesla right. Mach E fan clubs get together. Yay I can see five other red extended range premiums. Maybe one will have the singular other interior color option, but I bet they are all black!
This one is awd but this one isn’t. I mean it makes no difference sitting at the car show.
Tesla is the same way.
Once you’ve seen one white Tesla 3 you’ve seen them all.
I feel like they're doing to the car hobby what the ever-more right have done to the shooting/gun hobby. I mean there's always been more right leaning people into guns (just like good ol' boys into cars), but I slowly slipped off going anywhere near a gun range or going out shooting way back when the Rush Limbaugh stuff took off, and I wouldn't go anywhere near one in 2021 with the level of batshit that's associated with it today! It's ruined for me by the people that are manically into it.
I'm afraid this is the way the car hobby is going to go if this is what it becomes all about. I agree with electrification of daily drivers (though I more agree with Dieter Rams that transportation needs to change, and cars have little to do with that change), but this toxic shit really hasn't proven value-added to the experience.
As Chris Harris put it, Tesla is for those who otherwise hate, or at least neutral about cars - and they are the majority. No ICE engine, owners don't have to drive (sort of :) ) and the belief of saving the planet.
Back in my days!! And don’t even get me started about music nowadays!!
Seriously, Tesla has lots of flaws and may not be with us in 10 years, but it’s ruining car culture same as rock ruined music.