Tesla Model X owner decided against minimalism with a brilliant but strange mod
- Elon Musk’s approach has been to reduce visual clutter in the Tesla
- Owners have a love/hate relationship with the minimalist layout of the Tesla Model X
- One car enthusiast wanted to mod his car to bring back one traditional element
Published on Oct 26, 2023 at 7:24 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Oct 30, 2023 at 2:29 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Alessandro Renesis
One Tesla Model X owner has had enough of the minimalist interiors of his EV.
Tesla CEO, Elon Musk‘s approach has been to reduce visual clutter and, with that, buttons inside the model.
Think: the replacement of turn signal stalks with steering wheel buttons on the Model 3 glow-up, for example.
READ MORE: Tesla owners are using the new button on their iPhone 15 Pro to do awesome things to their car
However, while some appreciate the aesthetic there are those who prefer all the knobs and buttons they can lay their fingers on.
Enter one Tesla Model X owner who pushed back against the lack of sensory satisfaction a button can bring.
YOU CAN WATCH HIS LOVE/HATE MODIFICATION IN ACTION IN THE VIDEO BELOW:
Shared to X by @ray4tesla, the driver from China is seen in the video modifying his EV to add some more traditional elements.
In an apparent push back against the central touchscreen to access most vehicle functions he retrofitted some physical buttons beneath.
Mounted right under the touchscreen, its reminiscent of what Mercedes-Benz used on previous-iterations of its sedan.
There are 12 buttons in total, providing quicker access to some of the vehicle’s essential functions than the futuristic touchscreen.
So what do they actually do?

While some of them serve as shortcuts to key parts of the vehicle’s menu, others launch direct commands.
There’s a button for opening the “frunk”, adjusting the front seats, folding the side mirrors, heating or cooling the car or skipping a track.
While English subtitles aren’t provided, the video shows the car enthusiast attaching the switch panel to the back of the touchscreen.
He then goes deeper and attaches the wires.

Ray shared his thoughts in the video’s caption:
“This device completely defeats the purpose of minimalism.”
Some commenters seemed to agree.
“Expression of individualism,” one commenter said.
“A big trend in China nowadays to modify your car from the inside, as outside modifications are extremely limited thanks to strict laws in China.
“Personal Opinion: Agreed. Completely defeats the purpose of minimalism.”

“Elon tries to drag us out of the Stone Age, and this guy is kicking and screaming to go back to his cave,” said another.
While others weren’t against the buttons.
“In terms of design minimalism is champ. But when driving buttons for some critical functions make a ton of sense,” one said.
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All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”