Tesla Motors believes that the core competencies of their company are powertrain and vehicle engineering, as well as core intellectual property within the electric powertrain. Some of the new competencies that Tesla Motors has built are the Design Studio, the grand opening of its store at Santana row, and the development of Model S. The Design Studio is a tool that allows consumers to customize, view and share their own Tesla electric vehicles on the web, on their smartphones and iPads, and at Tesla stores. Consumers can build their dream electric vehicle via the Design Studio and share their design through social media channels such as Twitter and Facebook. “The Design Studio’s goal is to personalize the Tesla experience,” said George Blankenship, Tesla’s VP of Sales and Ownership Experience. “It’s the most advanced configurator any automaker has come up with, letting you choose exactly what you want, look at it from every angle, and see it in the wild.” Providing a tool like the Design Studio illustrates Tesla Motors’s technological development.
The grand opening of a Tesla store at Santana Row introduces a different type of location and layout compared to the traditional car dealer lot. Santana Row is an upscale shopping, housing, dining, and entertainment complex in San Jose, California, and it is located north of Westfield’s Valley Fair Mall. The Santana Row complex includes many “exclusive” boutiques such as Gucci and Burberry and it attracts a lot of foot-traffic. Having a store at Santana Row is a tangible resource for Tesla Motors as this location attracts a lot of current and growing customer base. The layout of the Tesla Motors store at Santana Row engages the customers with the touchscreen experiences provided in the store. Some of these experiences include stories from Tesla vehicle owners, Tesla innovations, as well as availability of Tesla’s new Design Studio. “Purchasing a Tesla should be a delightful experience,” says Tesla CEO...