For years, Apple events have generated Super Bowl-like hype among tech enthusiasts. But lately, Tesla Motors' events seem to be creating greater hype and excitement among the crowds in attendance.
Maybe it's because Apple's current CEO, Tim Cook, isn't quite the showman as the company's late CEO and founder Steve Jobs. Or maybe it's because we all know what to expect from those Apple events, and we've grown accustomed to their structure.
Elon Musk, Tesla's CEO, doesn't match Jobs when it comes to charisma, but he still knows how to put on a great show that can pump up the crowds. That was certainly the case on Thursday night, when Musk unveiled the Model 3, the first high-tech Tesla car for the masses.
The show itself was actually only 20 minutes long! But Musk managed to squeeze a lot of information into that short period of time.
Prior to unveiling the Model 3, Musk talked about Tesla's history, explaining why it exists in the first place — "to accelerate the transition to sustainable transport" — while also using cleaner energy that has a lesser impact on environmental and human health. He also explained that the Model 3 has always been a crucial aspect of Tesla's master plan to bring clean, affordable cars to the mainstream market.
Like Steve Jobs did for Apple, Musk has created his own reality distortion field around Tesla Motors. By being transparent about Tesla's plans and goals while also emphasizing the importance of helping the planet transition to sustainable energy and transportation, you couldn't help but watch his presentation and feel like Musk was a friend you could trust. Musk may not always have a way with words, but he is a master car salesman.
Before Musk unveiled the car, he rattled off a list of its impressive specs, including a 215-mile starting range and the ability to go from 0-60 mph in just six seconds. "We don't make slow cars," Musk said, which received cheers from the audience.
Then, the moment everyone was waiting for: A short video played, and three cars drove out onto the stage. People were on their feet for several minutes, cheering and taking pictures of the Model 3.
After a brief look at the cars, the event ended. Some felt the ending was abrupt, but personally, it made me want to see more of the car, even though I couldn't. Tesla's live stream ended, and the only way to see more of the Model 3 was to watch people's photos and videos pop up on Twitter, Instagram and Periscope. Tesla's own website remained down for several hours Friday morning.
It's been about 12 hours since Musk unveiled the Model 3, and I can't stop thinking about this car. To me, that says a lot about the car itself — a lot of time, thought and effort went into this car — but also the quality of Tesla's presentation Thursday night. The event didn't tell me everything I want to know, like the car's top speed and its high water mark on price, but those mysteries will keep me interested in this car. So here I am, excited for the Model 3 even though 1) I don't plan on buying one anytime soon and 2) the car won't even be available for about two full years.
Hats off to Tesla's team for this event. I probably haven't been this excited about a product announcement since the iPhone 4S.
