I design hardware that ships, from car seats to humanoid robots.
Mechanical design engineer at Tesla, formerly at Rivian, Zoox and Mytra. Based in Reno, NV, where I also build Rivian gear and run an EV rental fleet.
From prototype to production.
Without the pitfalls.
Most EV startups waste millions on products that don’t scale — or worse, can’t be serviced. Why? Because no one’s thinking about the factory, the technician, and the customer at the same time.
I’ve lived the pain of taking products from prototype to mass production. I’ve designed the car seats you sit in. And crafted full vehicle experiences you actually want to drive.
With experience at Tesla, Rivian, Zoox, and Mytra, I help you avoid rework, missed deadlines, and six-figure mistakes. Together, we'll deliver designs that work at scale.
What I’ve built
Tesla, Rivian, Zoox, Mytra: seating, robotics and vehicle systems taken from prototype to production
Named inventor on multiple patents
About 200 Turo trips hosted as an All-Star Host
43% rental revenue growth in 2024
Overland Nomadic gear tested on real trails, not just in CAD
Design that scales. Manufacturing that works.
Solomon Hafer, Founder
A little about me
I’m a mechanical design engineer turning ambitious hardware into products that can be built, serviced and used every day. Today I’m a Staff Mechanical Engineer on Tesla’s Optimus team, working on packaging: fitting a humanoid robot’s mechanical systems into a design that can be manufactured at scale. Before that I designed seating systems at Rivian and Zoox and led bot chassis and pallet design at Mytra. Off the clock I’m a dad, a Rivian owner and a tinkerer. Overland Nomadic started because I couldn’t find gear good enough for my own truck, and Best EV Rentals went all-electric in 2022.
Here’s how I can help:
Gear built for Rivians, tested on real trails
Overland Nomadic makes modular gear platforms for the R1T and R1S. The store is opening soon.
Need a second set of eyes on a design?
Through Sierra Nevada Design Consultants, I take on a small number of limited-scope projects: design reviews, design for manufacturing and assembly, and early product architecture, kept separate from my work at Tesla.
Rent an EV in Reno and Tahoe
Try a Rivian or Tesla on a Tahoe weekend and see what EV road trips are really like.
