GM’s electric vehicles have been gaining momentum lately. After years of relying solely on the Chevy Bolt, the automaker has expanded its lineup to 17 fully electrified models, pushing it into second place in the U.S. EV market behind Tesla. A key factor in this success? Insights from a Tesla veteran.
Jon McNeil, a current GM board member and former president of Tesla during the Model 3’s development, shared how Tesla’s product-focused culture influenced GM. At a recent TC All Stage event in Boston, McNeil revealed that Tesla’s leadership avoided slide presentations in favor of hands-on product reviews. This approach was inspired by Elon Musk’s encounter with Steve Jobs.
McNeil recounted how Musk once asked Jobs for advice early in his career. Jobs, initially dismissive, eventually told Musk that success in hardware—like software—depends on creating a perfect product. If the product is beautiful, it sells itself. Musk embraced this philosophy, making it central to Tesla’s development process.
At Tesla, product meetings prioritized surprise and delight, ensuring features evoked strong reactions from users. A quirky example was the “fart button,” a playful feature labeled “Emissions Testing Mode.” The company also valued minimalism, keeping software functions accessible within two taps. Lead designer Franz von Holzhausen was tasked with refining functionality into something visually appealing.
These weekly reviews kept Tesla’s culture sharp as the company grew. McNeil noted that presenting to Musk required employees to bring their best work, fostering rapid innovation. After leaving Tesla in 2018, McNeil joined GM’s board in 2022. He praised CEO Mary Barra and President Mark Reuss for adopting Tesla’s product-review approach, even in a massive organization like GM.
Now, GM holds weekly product reviews without slides, focusing on tangible hardware and software. This discipline has driven the launch of 17 EVs, securing GM’s position as the second-largest EV seller in the U.S. McNeil credits this relentless focus on product excellence for the company’s success.