Tesla just fired hundreds of employees due to ‘performance’ issues

By Lulu Chang Published October 14, 2017

That Tesla is seriously behind schedule when it comes to its vehicle production is no secret. Now, it would appear that Tesla’s workforce is really feeling the pressure of these delays. As originally reported by The Mercury News, the carmaker has fired “hundreds” of employees. Folks including associates, team leaders, and supervisors were affected by the decision.

According to an emailed statement from Tesla, the firings were part of an annual company-wide review.

Recommended Videos

“Like all companies, Tesla conducts an annual performance review during which a manager and employee discuss the results that were achieved, as well as how those results were achieved, during the performance period,” a Tesla spokesperson noted to TechCrunch. “This includes both constructive feedback and recognition of top performers with additional compensation and equity awards, as well as promotions in many cases. As with any company, especially one of over 33,000 employees, performance reviews also occasionally result in employee departures. Tesla is continuing to grow and hire new employees around the world.”

While the company did not specify how many people were ultimately given the boot, a former employee told Reuters, “It’s about 400 people ranging from associates to team leaders to supervisors. We don’t know how high up it went.” The source also noted that despite Tesla’s claim that the dismissals were the result of job performance, he had never received a bad review.

We might speculate that part of the rationale behind the widespread discharges was the “production bottleneck” that resulted in Tesla being far behind its targets for Model 3 production. Just 260 of these cars were produced during the third quarter of 2017, which is problematic given that Elon Musk had projected being able to make 20,000 Model 3’s a month by this December. And while there’s a very long waiting list for the highly anticipated vehicle, just 220 were shipped in the last few months, which has made for some pretty antsy buyers.

In any case, Tesla still seems very bullish about its future, as do investors. The company is set to report earnings in the next few weeks, and its stock price has continued to climb in spite of its numerous production setbacks.

Former Contributor

Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…

Topics

Cars

Order an Uber and a self-driving Mustang might show up

Electronics, Phone, Mobile Phone

Ordering an Uber in London could come with a surprise today. Instead of a conventional car and driver pulling up, you might find a Ford Mustang Mach-E that can drive itself. Uber has launched London's first public robotaxi service in partnership with British autonomous driving company Wayve. The service is available through the Uber app, meaning you don't need to download anything new or book a special type of ride to try it.

There is one important caveat. Although the cars will handle the driving themselves, a trained safety operator will initially sit behind the wheel, ready to intervene if necessary. Fully driverless rides are planned for a later stage. The launch fleet consists of electric Mustang Mach-Es equipped with cameras, radar, and Wayve's AI Driver technology. These systems give the vehicle a 360-degree view of what's happening around it. And if anywhere can put that technology through its paces, London seems like a pretty good candidate.

Cars

Range Rover Electric arrives with 543hp, 600km range, and a starting price of the moon

The electric Range Rover is here, and your wallet may need CPR

Range Rover EV

The Range Rover has never been shy about luxury, size or price, and its first fully electric version is carrying that tradition into the EV era. Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR) first battery-electric Range Rover is now open for orders, starting at £154,070, or about $208,420. That makes it one of the most expensive electric SUVs on the market.

The electric model costs almost £50,000 more than the standard combustion-engine Range Rover. It is priced in the same territory as the electric Mercedes-Benz G 580 and not far from ultra-luxury gasoline SUVs such as the Bentley Bentayga.

Cars

A solar ambulance has successfully tackled 500 miles of difficult terrain

Stella Juva

For years, solar-powered vehicles have largely lived in the world of prototypes, university projects and ambitious demonstrations. Now, one has completed the kind of test that matters far more than a flashy concept reveal: it drove hundreds of miles through difficult terrain while carrying medical equipment and generating enough electricity to operate independently.

Called Stella Juva, the vehicle was developed by Solar Team Eindhoven, a group of 23 students from Eindhoven University of Technology and two other educational institutions. According to a CNN report, the team describes it as the world's first solar ambulance. Unlike a conventional ambulance, however, Stella Juva is designed less to rush patients to hospitals and more to bring medical care to people who cannot easily reach it.