In an email obtained by The Information, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that hundreds more staffers were getting the axe at the EV maker, a fresh round of layoffs just weeks after a prior one.
And as it turns out, entire departments that are central to the company’s core offerings are being vaporized. According to the report, senior director of EV charging Rebecca Tinucci is leaving the company this week, alongside her 500-person-strong team.
It’s a surprising development, considering the company’s Supercharger is one of Tesla’s biggest value propositions to consumers: a reliable and relatively fast way to charge that has put most other charging networks in the US to shame.
It’s an especially puzzling decision given that the company’s J3400 fast-charging plug, Tesla’s North American Charging Standard, has gained a considerable amount of popularity and is actively being adopted by Tesla’s competitors, including Ford.
Musk’s decision to lay off Tinucci and her entire team raises plenty of questions. Is Tesla actively moving away from installing Superchargers? Is the company perhaps looking to license the technology to other companies instead?
In his email, Musk reassured staffers that the company “will continue to build out some new Supercharger locations, where critical, and finish those currently under construction.”
Just as puzzling is the departure of Daniel Ho, director of vehicle programs and new product introduction, along with his entire team.
That’s despite Musk promising that the company is allegedly working on a cheaper vehicle — while also focusing its efforts on the development of a “robotaxi.”
In addition to Tinucci and Ho, three other key executives have since left the company, including Martin Viecha, once Tesla vice president of investor relations, Drew Baglino, the company’s now-former senior vice president of powertrain and energy engineering, and head of public policy Rohan Patel.
Last week, a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission revealed that Baglino had sold a staggering $181.5 million worth of Tesla shares, suggesting that he’s parting not just with Tesla but with the idea of Tesla.
Where all of this leaves Tesla’s efforts to expand its much-beloved Supercharger network and the development of a next-generation vehicle remains to be seen.
Given the latest layoffs, the mercurial Musk is clearly looking to make some considerable changes behind the scenes, a characteristic shakeup meant to weed out those who are either not pulling their weight or don’t show him enough loyalty.
In many ways, it’s Musk doubling down on the company’s much-maligned driver assistance technologies and artificial intelligence tech, a multibillion-dollar bet.
Musk himself has mentioned on multiple occasions that the success of Tesla hinges on its so-called “Full Self-Driving” software.
“If someone does not believe that Tesla can solve autonomy, I don’t think they should be an investor in the company,” Musk said during the company’s earnings call this month.
In short, it’s clear that Tesla is in for a rollercoaster ride of a year — which could reshape the company into something entirely unrecognizable.
More on Tesla: Elon Musk Slams Tesla With Fresh Round of Layoffs
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