Tesla has encountered significant challenges recently, including a controversial rollout of its new electric Cybertruck, slumping sales, and waning demand for the Model 3 electric sedan and Model Y electric SUV. Additionally, there has been a government investigation into the driver monitoring component of the company’s Autopilot driver assistance system. Moreover, CEO Elon Musk recently initiated layoffs at the company, further reducing costs by dismissing two senior leadership team members and their respective teams.
According to a late report from The Information, Tesla’s Rebecca Tinucci, the senior director of the electric vehicle maker’s Supercharger business, and Daniel Ho, head of its new vehicles program, have left the company effective immediately. These layoffs extend to their teams, totaling at least 500 staff positions eliminated from the Supercharger and new vehicle programs. Furthermore, sources indicate that Tesla’s public policy team has also been disbanded.
Currently, it remains uncertain how significantly these reductions will affect the company and its future operations. Consequently, it raises questions regarding Tesla’s intentions to expand its North American Charging Standard (NACS) network to vehicles from other manufacturers, an initiative projected to commence later this year. Additionally, the status of Tesla’s plans for a more affordable compact model, anticipated to be placed below the Model 3 and Y, remains ambiguous. Recently, CEO Elon Musk hinted at the introduction of next-gen Tesla models incorporating both current and new technologies, suggesting they may debut by late 2024 or early 2025.
