Elon Musk axes Supercharger team amid layoff disagreement

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NEW YORK, May 18: Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s decision to terminate the entire Supercharger team came after its division chief, Rebecca Tinucci, refused to proceed with further layoffs, as reported by Reuters.

Musk’s email to staff on April 29 announced the dissolution of the team responsible for Tesla’s charging infrastructure, a move that has since been partially reversed, according to Bloomberg.

Reports indicate that Musk had a personal meeting with Tinucci the day before the email was sent, during which he decided to dismiss her team due to her reluctance to implement additional layoffs. Tinucci had already cut 15% to 20% of her team before meeting with Musk.

Representatives for Tesla, Musk, and Tinucci declined to comment on Reuters’ request.

Tesla’s initial round of layoffs last month, affecting over 10% of its workforce, was attributed to challenges in sales and increased competition from Chinese automakers like BYD.

Musk’s decision to dissolve the Supercharger team drew criticism from major automakers and partners who utilize Tesla’s charging technology. The abrupt move left them uncertain about the future of the Supercharger network.

However, Musk later reassured investors of Tesla’s commitment to expanding the Supercharger network, albeit at a slower pace. This shift in strategy could be influenced by Tesla’s significant involvement in President Joe Biden’s infrastructure initiatives.

While Tesla did not respond to immediate requests for comment, Musk emphasized the company’s plans to invest over $500 million in expanding the Supercharger network this year, ensuring continued growth and development in electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

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