Layoffs Expected At Tesla Motors As CEO Replaced By Elon Musk

It's not a 100% official yet, but a few sources are reporting that something big is happening at Tesla Motors, makers of the electric Roadster who have recently announced a new $250 million manufacturing plant in San Jose.

What we know so far is that Ze'ev Drori is apparently out as CEO, and that Elon Musk (who's also busy sending rockets into orbit with his other company, SpaceX) is replacing him. Autocar also says that "100 staff" would be laid off, representing more than half of Tesla's workforce.
Read the full story here.

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Comments

[Nikola Tesla]

TESLA will RULE this era of the MODERN AMERICAN AUTOMOBILE.

Just need to cut costs until the market stabilizes, then its FULL SPEED AHEAD!

Silicon Valley will be the NEW DETROIT!

(Insert Your Favorite Robocop Joke Here)

[mlaiuppa]

Really too bad. The company will be out of business in a year or two.

Guess they should have kept the brains of the outfit, their original president.

[BlackbirdHighway]

GM, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Toyota, Nissan - all the car companies are facing lower sales and are cutting back. Why should Tesla be expected to be any different? They are selling into the same economy as everyone else.

[KillTheMessenger]

"They are selling into the same economy as everyone else."

No, they aren't. They are selling to people who have more money than they need and who will not lose their jobs no matter what happens. That is the real problem here... if even they can't make it in the luxury segment that won't be hit hard by an economic slowdown, there is not much hope for the electric car on the whole, either.

Which is what most knowledgeable people are saying all along.

[BlackbirdHighway]

"and who will not lose their jobs no matter what happens."

Government employees??

[JuniorNorman]

I thought the idea of gazzilion laptop batteries w/ a.c. to keep it cool under a car was far fetched. I think capacitors and nano tech lithium will be a better choice in the future.

[KillTheMessenger]

I don't think this is a technology issue. Their technical approach is pretty sound (albeit not without engineering problems). This sounds more like economics and management not working out.

[mouselion]

Hope this does not derail the future production of the air car. Everything else is just diversionary as far I am concerned -- so goodspeed at rebuilding your strength, Tesla! And, don't give up the biggest prize of all!

[KillTheMessenger]

How does one drive an "air car"? Is that like playing air guitar? You sit on the edge of a chair, turn an imaginary steering wheel, move your feet as if you were using the clutch, accelerator and breaks and then you press on the tip of your nose and make "Beeeep! Beeeeep!"

:-)

[KillTheMessenger]

Hmm... that didn't last long. What happened? Not enough sales? Hard to imagine. I thought they had a good business model with the high end roadster. It is a nice looking toy, after all.

And, no, I am not sarcastic.