Elon Musk says Electric cars need to be more ‘futuristic’ to attract buyers

Electric car manufacturers have to design futuristic vehicles to entice buyers in order to ride out the challenge of plunging oil prices, Tesla co-founder Elon Musk said today.

The luxury all-electric US car maker, founded in 2003, rose to prominence as oil prices soared and made alternative energy vehicles more tempting.

Now the fledgling industry is under pressure, said Musk.

Tesla itself saw shares dive earlier this month after it reported deliveries at the bottom end of its forecast for the 2015 fourth quarter.

The company is taking orders for its new Model X, released this year, which boasts some self-driving facilities and Back To the Future-style ‘falcon-wing’ doors

Tesla is looking to recruit 1,600 software engineers to help develop ‘Autopilot’, its autonomous car IT system and aims to have a fully self-driving car by 2018.

The system has capabilities like the ‘Summon’ function so drivers can call the car from the garage to their side at will, like a pet.

The company is taking orders for its new Model X, released this year, which boasts some self-driving facilities and Back To the Future-style ‘falcon-wing’ doors.