Report: Tesla lays off entire Supercharger team! [Update: Elon Musk says supercharger growth will continue]

[Vorador]

More layoffs.

https://electrek.co/2024/05/06/tesla-tsla-launches-another-round-layoffs/

Layoffs to service are going to be felt a lot quicker than anything from the supercharger team. Tesla service was already backed up when I had my Model Y. Can't imagine it getting worse.

Sponsored

 

[Crissa]

I can't imagine what this is supposed to do... is he trying to see if it's possible to get a supermajority to vote against his compensation?

-Crissa

 

[mark555055c]

What are we disagreeing on, though?

-Crissa

I guess the possibility of any real world effect of the layoffs on the SC network function. ?‍

 

[Crissa]

This summarizes it for some folks better than i can or care to...

There are many things you shouldn't be trusting him on, but this is going to be a big one.

...Before the launch of your newest charger, before you know the untime rate of it, you fire your development team?
...Before you complete your new compatibility testing and integration of new companies you fire your integration team?
...While you're still less than 5% overall market share, you should fire your sales team?
...While you're still not installed in 90+% of the 166,000 hotels and motels in the United States, you fire the sales team that is integrating these new customers?
...While you're doing a deal to install 20,000 units to just one chain, you fire the team involved in integrating these new customers?

Firing the team that got you that amazing uptime is guaranteeing you will not have that uptime in a year.

Ugh, sometimes Munro is talking out of his hat, and this time it's ... Out of the other direction.

-Crissa

 

[CyberGus]

There are many things you shouldn't be trusting him on, but this is going to be a big one.

...Before the launch of your newest charger, before you know the untime rate of it, you fire your development team?
...Before you complete your new compatibility testing and integration of new companies you fire your integration team?
...While you're still less than 5% overall market share, you should fire your sales team?
...While you're still not installed in 90+% of the 166,000 hotels and motels in the United States, you fire the sales team that is integrating these new customers?
...While you're doing a deal to install 20,000 units to just one chain, you fire the team involved in integrating these new customers?

Firing the team that got you that amazing uptime is guaranteeing you will not have that uptime in a year.

Ugh, sometimes Munro is talking out of his hat, and this time it's ... Out of the other direction.

-Crissa

Looks like Sandy doesn't want to get unfollowed like Sawyer Merritt

 

[mark555055c]

There are many things you shouldn't be trusting him on, but this is going to be a big one.

...Before the launch of your newest charger, before you know the untime rate of it, you fire your development team?
...Before you complete your new compatibility testing and integration of new companies you fire your integration team?
...While you're still less than 5% overall market share, you should fire your sales team?
...While you're still not installed in 90+% of the 166,000 hotels and motels in the United States, you fire the sales team that is integrating these new customers?
...While you're doing a deal to install 20,000 units to just one chain, you fire the team involved in integrating these new customers?

Firing the team that got you that amazing uptime is guaranteeing you will not have that uptime in a year.

Ugh, sometimes Munro is talking out of his hat, and this time it's ... Out of the other direction.

-Crissa

It's not so much me following him, he just outlines my thoughts well.

I don't understand this new culture of folks thinking they are entitled to a job for eternity. Layoffs happen(and should) as the landscape changes, needs change, or the job get done. I go to work every day optimizing and increasing efficiency with the full expectation that I'm optimizing myself and co-workers out of a job one day, and will need to find a new project and repeat the process.

The SC network has been engineered and deployed. A giant staff is no longer needed to maintain it. It's the same as building Giga Texas, when it's done, most workers go find new work.

That said, if the SC experience starts to suffer, I'll be the first one to complain as a multi Tesla family, and shareholder.

 

[firsttruck]

.....

The SC network has been engineered and deployed. A giant staff is no longer needed to maintain it.
.....

That said, if the SC experience starts to suffer, I'll be the first one to complain as a multi Tesla family, and shareholder.

There is already suffering, extra work, wasted time and delays.

Engineering and other staff at many auto OEMs that are transitioning to NACS plug, contractors working on new SC installations, government engineers that authorize permits, local electrical utilities with transformers and transmission lines are complaining that there is nobody at Tesla to answer there calls for information. People who might have been working on scheduled projects for years.

Workers in other departments are not going to be able to answer technical questions on how internals of how SC works vs what the new SAE 3400 says or question from contractors or question about unclear info in a permit application.

Tesla even just sent out a letter that SC partners, contractors, suppliers, etc. who are owed money should contact Tesla because Tesla lost track of who they owe money to !!!

Type of statement you send to suppliers after filing for restructuring, not type anyone should expect from a highly profitable company with $bn in cash.

--------------------

To all concerned:

You may be aware that there has been a recent adjustment with the Supercharger organization which is presently undergoing a sudden and thorough restructuring. If you have already received this email, please disregard it as we are attempting to connect with our suppliers and contractors.

As part of this process, we are in the midst of establishing new leadership roles, prioritizing projects, and streamlining our payment procedures. Due to the transitional nature of this phase, we are asking for your patience with our response time.

I understand that this period of change may be challenging and that patience is not easy when expecting to be paid, however, I want to express my sincere appreciation for your understanding and support as we navigate through this transition. At this time, please hold on breaking ground on any newly awarded construction projects and planned pre-construction walks.

If currently working on an active Supercharging construction site, please continue. Contact [email redacted] for further questions, comments, and concerns. Additionally, hold on working on any new material orders. Contact [email redacted] for further questions, comments, and concerns. If waiting on delayed payment, please contact [email redacted] for a status update. Thank you for your cooperation and patience.

--------------------


Tesla retreat from EV charging leaves growth of U.S. network in doubt
Sudden layoffs this week left Tesla construction vendors uncertain whether to carry on with the charging projects they were building.
May 3, 2024
By Jeanne Whalen, Trisha Thadani and Faiz Siddiqui
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/05/03/tesla-charging-us-network/

.....
The news casts confusion on the deals Tesla has been striking to open part of its charging network to drivers of other brands, including Ford, General Motors, Volkswagen and others. Tesla did this to become eligible to tap some of the $7.5 billion in federal funding for new charger construction.

“If you fire the whole team, now all of a sudden when GM or Stellantis or VW want to start enabling Supercharging for their customers, there is nobody at Tesla making sure the lights stay on,” said Sam Abuelsamid, a charging expert at Guidehouse Insights.

--------------------

Tesla’s Shrewdest Product Is Proving to Be Its Charging Network
The company is making its ubiquitous Superchargers available to other EVs through new corporate partnerships and its Magic Dock.
By Dana Hull
June 11, 2023
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/feat...in-us-charging-invites-ford-gm-evs-to-fuel-up

--------------------

 

[mark555055c]

This is all part of doing business. Projects get cancelled or delayed all the time. None of this sounds like customer facing issues, so for that reason, my position remains the same.

 

[Crissa]

I don't understand this new culture of folks thinking they are entitled to a job for eternity.

First off, a company exists because of its people. It can limp along as a zombie for years, but without people, it's nothing.

The SC network has been engineered and deployed. A giant staff is no longer needed to maintain it. It's the same as building Giga Texas, when it's done, most workers go find new work.

Secondly...

No, it's not. Unless you think that this is as many EVs as the US will ever have, and no more, and you want to roll-back adoption.

10% of new vehicles are EVs, but the installed base is much smaller portion. There's no way to get to 100% without employees to do it.

This is all part of doing business. Projects get cancelled or delayed all the time. None of this sounds like customer facing issues, so for that reason, my position remains the same.

If your part of doing business is collapsing your advantage to sit on a pile of coins, you probably shouldn't be in business.

This idea that business should just be about sitting on piles of coins instead of doing things is baffling.

Elon just signaled to the world that Tesla is no longer going to lead the transition to EVs. That EVs are never going to get to their towns, and that there will never be enough chargers for everyone to drive EVs.

-Crissa

 

[mark555055c]

First off, a company exists because of its people. It can limp along as a zombie for years, but without people, it's nothing.


Secondly...

No, it's not. Unless you think that this is as many EVs as the US will ever have, and no more, and you want to roll-back adoption.

10% of new vehicles are EVs, but the installed base is much smaller portion. There's no way to get to 100% without employees to do it.


If your part of doing business is collapsing your advantage to sit on a pile of coins, you probably shouldn't be in business.

This idea that business should just be about sitting on piles of coins instead of doing things is baffling.

Elon just signaled to the world that Tesla is no longer going to lead the transition to EVs. That EVs are never going to get to their towns, and that there will never be enough chargers for everyone to drive EVs.

-Crissa

So we have to agree to disagree.

 

[Crissa]

So we have to agree to disagree.

Disagree on what, though?

We already know that Superrcharger expansion has come to a halt.

And if this is true, Tesla violated labor law by letting so many go at once without notice to the relevant agencies that need to be ready for it. Not that the statutory penalties for such violations matter, you could probably pay them yourself.

What are we disagreeing on? You didn't know that it was delayed already? You don't think v4 will be delayed without its development team? You don't realize that the network needs to be 20x larger, at least, if everyone is to drive EVs? You didn't realize that taking all new orders for Destination chargers and repairs on the network have been halted?

You need people and institutional knowledge. This destroyed it. Whatever the reason for doing it, this will have real, measurable, impacts in EV adoption.

The Elon just guaranteed that EV sales will slip further.

-Crissa

 

[mark555055c]

Disagree on what, though?

We already know that Superrcharger expansion has come to a halt.

And if this is true, Tesla violated labor law by letting so many go at once without notice to the relevant agencies that need to be ready for it. Not that the statutory penalties for such violations matter, you could probably pay them yourself.

What are we disagreeing on? You didn't know that it was delayed already? You don't think v4 will be delayed without its development team? You don't realize that the network needs to be 20x larger, at least, if everyone is to drive EVs? You didn't realize that taking all new orders for Destination chargers and repairs on the network have been halted?

You need people and institutional knowledge. This destroyed it. Whatever the reason for doing it, this will have real, measurable, impacts in EV adoption.

The Elon just guaranteed that EV sales will slip further.

-Crissa

I'm just not arguing with reality. Supercharging is sufficient as is for the time being IMO, and obviously is to Elon. We'll see how it plays out.

 

[Crissa]

I'm just not arguing with reality. Supercharging is sufficient as is for the time being IMO, and obviously is to Elon. We'll see how it plays out.

Okay.

Then you agree: Tesla has sold enough cars.

Apparently those of us who bought less than average priced cars only get used EVs, and the total fleet won't ever get to more than this.

?‍

No more hotels need chargers. No more automakers need to integrate with them. And Tesla will never need more than the tiny share of the total cars - EVs will never be more than the share they are now.

That's what you're saying. It's planning for collapse.

-Crissa

 

[firsttruck]

....

The Elon just guaranteed that EV sales will slip further.

-Crissa

Yup. Now Elon himself is creating FUD against transition to EVs.

This is NOT accelerating the transition.

 

[mark555055c]

Okay.

Then you agree: Tesla has sold enough cars.

Apparently those of us who bought less than average priced cars only get used EVs, and the total fleet won't ever get to more than this.

?‍

No more hotels need chargers. No more automakers need to integrate with them. And Tesla will never need more than the tiny share of the total cars - EVs will never be more than the share they are now.

That's what you're saying. It's planning for collapse.

-Crissa

It'll all work out.

Sponsored