Tesla has started hiring back some of the nearly 500 members of its Supercharging team that CEO Elon Musk let go last month.
One of the key people who returned is Max de Zegher, who oversaw charging for North America. He was let go along with other top managers like Rebecca Tinucci.
We don’t know exactly how many people have been rehired. Musk and de Zegher didn’t comment on this.
When Musk dismissed the team, it surprised many in the electric vehicle world because Superchargers are an essential part of Tesla’s success. Tesla convinced other companies to use its plugs and made deals to let their customers use its charging network.
After facing criticism, Musk promised to invest more than $500 million to expand Tesla’s network this year. Earlier, he said Tesla would slow down adding chargers and focus more on improving existing ones.
On May 10, the @TeslaCharging account on X, a social media platform owned by Musk, thanked charging site hosts and suppliers for their patience during Tesla’s restructuring. De Zegher shared this message.
This isn’t the first time Musk has reversed quick cost-cutting moves. In 2019, he announced Tesla would close many stores and shift sales online, surprising many employees. But after facing issues with leases, he changed course and raised vehicle prices.
A similar situation happened at Twitter in 2022. After Musk laid off many employees, some were asked to come back.
Tesla introduced its first Superchargers in 2012, shortly after it began making the Model S sedan. Now, Tesla has over 6,200 stations and 57,000 connectors around the world.
