Lately, we have been hearing a lot about Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, and his controversial takes on hot topics. But the outspoken executive represents just a tiny part of what the world's most valuable automaker is today. The most recent proof in this regard comes from Finland. That's where nearly 700 owners of more recently-made Teslas gathered around to put on a magnificent light show. And that they did because the Finns broke the world record! Here's the gist of it.
Two months ago, 255 German Tesla owners met in Hamm. They wanted to establish a new world record by coordinating a custom light show. After careful preparations and some support from the UK, the Germans did it! The Baltic House Orchestra's reinterpretation of Red Hot Chilli Peppers' "Can't Stop" allowed the all-electric cars to create a vibrant atmosphere in a random parking lot.
But their reign was short-lived. The Finnish noticed what the Germans did and took it personally. They organized in less than a month and a half. Tesla clubs called upon their members to participate, while other businesses joined in on the fun. They understood that this event had a lot of potential.
Michelin, for example, offered a free set of tires that fit any Tesla. The EV maker's local subsidiary also promised a test drive with the facelifted Model 3 for a few participants and a EUR 200 gift card for the Tesla Shop. A hotel offered a free night of accommodation, while other companies threw in some vouchers or products.
But, at the end of the day, the effort to put this fantastic light show in motion has been worth it. The official count revealed that 687 Tesla models gathered in Espoo, a town that borders Helsinki.
That may not seem like many attendees at first. But keep in mind that Tesla has sold a little over 5,000 EVs this year so far. In 2022, it delivered around 1,000 units per Dataforce. This event might have attracted around 10% of the qualifying Teslas because the organizers accepted only cars that were produced in or after December 2022.
The participants had an official timer and knew exactly when the fun was about to start.
The first song was Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," while the second one was Darude's iconic "Sandstorm."
Photo: Mikko Kummelus
After the light show ended, everyone clapped, and the whole crowd cheered with joy.
All this is great proof that zero-tailpipe emission cars that are smartphones or computers on wheels don't necessarily have to be boring. Technology can bring us closer together, as social media initially did.
But what this implementation of a simple feature that allows EVs to synchronize their music playback and lights proves best is that Tesla was ahead of everybody else. Not only did the marque win the fight with the conservative auto industry, but it left most of it behind in another dimension. Some are catching up, but they're not very close.
Tesla understood that its customers wouldn't have a hood to pop and an engine to show. Instead of simply letting them enjoy the advantages of zero-emission motoring, the now-Texas-based automaker implemented some funny and creative quirks. That's one of the reasons why Tesla is the world's most valuable car brand at this point.
You can watch how things unfolded in the official YouTube video below.
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
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