In response to a downturn in sales and profits, Tesla is trimming its workforce, with the Supercharger division and new vehicle development teams bearing the brunt of the cuts. Rebecca Tinucci, head of the Supercharger network, has been let go along with approximately 500 employees under her purview.
Having joined Tesla in 2018 and taking over the Supercharger division in 2020, Tinucci’s departure marks a significant shift. Similarly, Daniel Ho, head of new vehicle development, and his team are also facing layoffs. Ho, who joined Tesla in 2013 after a tenure at Ford Australia, had been instrumental in managing projects like the Model S, Model 3, and Model Y.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s internal email emphasized the need for rigorous cost reduction measures, indicating that executives who don’t comply will be asked to resign. Despite these cutbacks, Musk assured that critical expansion of the Supercharger network will continue, acknowledging its pivotal role in Tesla’s success.
This latest round of job cuts follows a prior reduction in the workforce, which affected approximately 15,000 employees globally. Notably, Tesla’s challenges this year include production shortfalls and halting sales of the Cybertruck due to quality concerns. Despite setbacks, the company denies abandoning plans for a more affordable model, pivoting instead towards a robotaxi concept set to be revealed in August.
