Elon Musk says Art Deco trains inspired Robovan

• Elon Musk surprised viewers with the launch of Tesla’s Robovan at the ‘We Robot’ event on Thursday.
• Musk shared on X that the Robovan’s design was inspired by Art Deco trains.
• The Robovan has a sleek, futuristic design and can accommodate 20 passengers.

Tesla looked to the past for design inspiration for 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 launch of the multi-passenger Robovan.

“What happens if you need a vehicle larger than a Model Y?” Musk said Thursday night, before the bus-like vehicle arrived on stage.

Tesla’s Robovan will turn out to be the latest addition to Tesla fleet of sedans and Cyber ​​trucksalthough Musk did not reveal details about the Robovan’s price or release date.

The interior – which Musk said was “made to look like a spaceship” – featured sleek, white, spacious seats, complemented by blue LED lights that cast a cool glow inside. The Robovan can accommodate up to 20 passengers and transport goods, Musk said at the event. It can also be used as a “school bus, trailer 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 Robovan’s exterior aesthetic appears to be inspired by the Art Deco design period of the early 20th century.

Musk wrote “Futuristic Art Deco Bus” in an X post last night with a photo of the Robovan. In response to a user who asked what inspired the design, Musk replied: “Art Deco trains.”

Art Deco trains were a product of the Art Deco era, which occurred in the 1920s and 1930s. The style of the time was characterized by modern geometric designs. Trains of the era were known for embodying the streamlined, luxurious aesthetic of the time.

One user responded to the thread with a photo of what appears to be a Mercury train, to which Musk responded with a bullseye 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, Mercury trains exemplified the sleek, streamlined aesthetic and luxurious interior of the era. The Mercury’s success solidified Dreyfuss’s reputation as an important figure in American industrial design.

Musk may have painted a vivid picture of what the future will look like with his upcoming autonomous vehicles and dancing Optimus robots — but he also failed to provide enough clarity on what Tesla’s near-term business model for the vehicles would look like, leaving investors with more questions than answers.

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