(CTN News) – The firm had high expectations for the network’s future when charging chief Rebecca Tinucci met with Musk, four former Tesla charging-network employees told Reuters a day before Elon Musk’s decision to effectively eliminate the entire electric-vehicle charging division last month.
After Tinucci laid off 15% to 20% of staff two weeks ago, Musk was expected to authorize the enormous charging-network expansion.
Everything could have gone wrong at the conference. Employees stated Musk disliked Tinucci’s presentation and demanded more redundancies. He fired her and her 500 employees after she opposed more cuts, saying they would hurt the charging company.
Tesla’s network, crucial to EV sales, suffered from departures.
Officially, more than 60% of US high-speed charging terminals are Tesla Superchargers, and the company has secured $5 billion in federal aid for new chargers.
Based on interviews with eight former charging division employees, one contractor, and a Tesla email to external suppliers, this is the most comprehensive account of the Supercharger firings and their ramifications. Reuters said that Musk and Tinucci attended the meeting, which four Supercharger department managers reported.
Tesla, Musk, and Tinucci declined Reuters’ comment requests.
Despite widespread firings, Musk will extend the network via social media. Three former charging-team members told Reuters that power companies, contractors, and vendors had spent millions in infrastructure and equipment to help Tesla create its network and were calling them.
Earlier this month, a global-supply manager advised Supercharger contractors and suppliers to “please delay the commencement of any newly awarded construction projects” and avoid ordering materials. “I recognize that this transitional period may present difficulties, and that exercising patience while anticipating payment is not simple!”
Three former Tesla employees said the energy team,
Which distributes residential and commercial solar and battery-storage solutions, was responsible for Superchargers and contacted partners to conclude charger-construction projects.
Tesla workers called one building contractor because they “don’t know a thing.” amid the cuts. The contractor estimated 20% of his earnings from Supercharger projects in 2024, but he aims to diversify to reduce his dependence.
Tesla had few female executives like Tinucci. After Drew Baglino left, she reportedly reported to Musk four former Supercharger teammates. They said Baglino ran the charge department without Musk.
Tesla has had a rough year, with Musk pausing or postponing many critical moves to raise investor interest in EV sales, including the firing of the charging workforce. Musk says will focus on self-driving cars, a riskier, more competitive market that may take years to mature.
The company’s first-quarter auto sales decreased for the first time since 2020 due to Chinese EV competition and dwindling global EV demand. Reuters reported in April that had paused Model 2 production, a long-awaited affordable automobile. Tesla’s plans to establish new facilities in Mexico and India, where Musk abruptly canceled a meeting with Narendra Modi last month, are in doubt. Executive resignations have followed the company’s redundancies.
Reduced charging expansion scale
Two former Tesla employees said the energy team handling charging networks designed and built networks similar. Pricing plans in public spaces and thorough talks with utilities, local governments, and landowners are unusual, they claimed.
Two former charging-network staffers said the energy team struggled to handle their caseload. Musk stated on April 30 that”continues to intend to expand the Supercharger network, albeit at a reduced rate of expansion.” Musk added, “Tesla will invest in excess of $500 million to expand our Supercharger network and produce thousands of NEW chargers this year.”
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