<i>Instead, the tycoon promised that robotaxis would save the business, even as both of its partially automated driver assistance systems face recalls and investigations here in the US and in China.</i><p>A decade of repeated, unfulfilled FSD promises does not inspire confidence in more of the same.<p>Musk is chasing an illusion instead of simply focusing on making reliable, competitive transportation.<p>Tesla is no longer a "growth" stock.
This so far is the biggest sting to current Tesla owners. A lot of the stupid stuff it was kind of possible to ignore because it didn't affect the ownership directly, but this is insane.<p>Superchargers have been the greatest competitive advantage of Tesla for as long as the company existed. They've been so great at keeping them reliably operating , drastically easing range anxiety for Tesla owners. With this layoff I expect the Supercharger network to become just like the rest of them: broken over 50% of the time.<p>One of the exciting things about the broad switch to NACS in the US was that other fast charger networks were going to have to compete with Tesla's network, which might have brought the level of reliability and ease of use up dramatically. Instead, we're going to have zero reliable fast charging networks.<p>I think this broadly dooms the EV movement in the US. I need to sell my Tesla and I guess get a PEHV or something.
At this point I have to believe that any significant tech talent is looking at Tesla as a poison workplace.<p>They are going to have to pay pretty damn well to get anyone with a brain.
We have one Tesla already. I am going to need a new car soon. But now it looks like it’s going to be too risky to buy another Tesla. I need a certain level of stability from the manufacturer in order to make a big capital expenditure.
I'm putting Tesla on my mental "corporate death watch" list. Musk just killed any justification for new buyers to pick Tesla.<p>Product range? Will only get more obsolete.
Supercharger network? Will only get more crowded.<p>All so he can have his nerd truck and robotaxis.
What is he even thinking when getting rid of nearly the entire Supercharger team? Does he expect the few people remaining with no head of the department to be able to effectively coordinate expansion? Especially now that it's becoming the standard for a lot of US electric vehicles?<p>Along with a majority of the public policy team and the Director of Vehicle Programs, what does this leave us with?<p>Do we expect Musk to be competent in public policy nationwide? The man doesn't even know how to fire people at Xitter without getting himself into a bevy of lawsuits for violating multiple labor laws.<p>Just...what is going on over there...?
I'm stunned people are stupid enough to buy these (and other) rolling spy/psyop platforms. They are worse than phones, because when they decide your political views aren't allowed, they'll just stop driving, or worse, drive itself back to the dealership or the police. Why do you think China gave him 'permission' to roll it out there?
Why has he done it? Some thoughts:<p>- NACS has become the open, industry standard<p>- The tech has been figured out, commoditized and not an area for innovation<p>- He made a deal with a gas station to take over deployment<p>- Version 4 Super Chargers are a single piece delivered on flatbed, lego pieces now<p>- Cost savings in outsourcing<p>- Moving to a franchise model
I’ve read quite a few news stories on this and I still don’t understand what Musk is trying to accomplish. Tesla has been hugely successful. The model Y is the best selling car in the world. Sure, there is a downturn, but why make such drastic changes? It just doesn’t make sense.
it was ridiculous that after an absolutely awful earnings call, TSLA stock still jumped because Musk promised to start making cheaper cars. As though he won't screw that up also
"Musk also told staff that he would ask for the resignation of any executive "who retains more than three people who don't obviously pass the excellent, necessary and trustworthy test."
Didn’t they just announce they were working on affordable cars. Seeing as their current line is not affordable by any reasonable standard, surely firing people working on new cars is a shitty message to investors? Also to existing staff!<p>Bang goes TSLA gains this week.
Original source: <a href="https://www.theinformation.com/articles/musk-plans-more-layoffs-as-two-senior-tesla-executives-depart" rel="nofollow">https://www.theinformation.com/articles/musk-plans-more-layo...</a>
Imo, a major failure was their inability to deliver on their contract with PepsiCo for Electric Semis [0]<p>The electric semitruck space would have been a massive moneymaker for Tesla, but concentrating on boondoggles like Cybertruck or X/Twitter undermined a major revenue source.<p>Also their inability to concentrate on developing a Model 2.<p>[0] - <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/tesla-semi-trucks-short-supply-pepsico-its-rivals-use-competing-ev-big-rigs-2024-04-19/" rel="nofollow">https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/tesla-...</a>
Wow, Rebecca Tinucci (EV charging) and Daniel Ho (EV products) are gone.<p>WTF? This is utterly bananas. I don't get it.<p>The long-term cost of treating longtime, loyal, talented employees as... disposable could be very high. It could even threaten the company's survival.<p>But... I'm going to give Musk the benefit of the doubt, because he has proven <i>me</i> -- and lots of people who are way smarter than me -- wrong, again and again, over the past two decades. He has a long track record of making bets that look crazy-stupid in the moment but turn out to be crazy-brilliant in hindsight.<p>The jury is out.
Gah! That headline sucks. It makes is sound like he laid off EVERYONE that works on those parts of the company. No, he sacked the head of those efforts, right?<p>Musk is still nutty and erratic, but lets get the headline correct people.
... so I guess they are not launching any new vehicles?<p>Honestly it might be correct for them at this point, given they have a decent SKU count now with their main headwinds being macro market demand for EV's and QC production issues.<p>That said, hard to be a tech growth story without new product.<p>Or maybe he's unhappy with delays and recalls and plans to re-hire whole department?
An interesting thought experiment if Telsa was taken over by a standard car CEO right now what decisions would they be making in comparison to Elon Musk.<p>The bet on the future of cars being electric has paid off. (although may not for lower priced cars for a while)<p>The future being supervised self-driving looks like a good bet.<p>The future model being robo-taxi business, I'm not so sure about that.