Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA)’s Supercharger team is bearing the brunt of workforce reductions at the EV giant, with the entire team seemingly disbanded overnight.
According to multiple reports, including one from The Information, Tesla’s senior director for EV charging Rebecca Tinucci got the boot alongside the majority of the 500-strong team she oversaw.
“We need to be absolutely hard core about headcount and cost reduction,” The Information quoted Musk as telling staff in an internal memo.
The development throws a spanner in the works for competing EV manufacturers that intend to use the Supercharger network after Musk opened up the North American Charging Standard (NACS) system to competitors in 2023.
General Motors and Ford said they will continue with their plans to equip upcoming EVs with Supercharger connectors.
Musk appeared to confirm the sackings on X.
“Tesla still plans to grow the Supercharger network, just at a slower pace for new locations and more focus on 100% uptime and expansion of existing locations,” he wrote from his X account.
Responses were widely critical of the move. ‘The Cybertruck Guy’ called the news “a goddamn disaster” and echoed other commentators’ opinions that Superchargers should be a major focal point for Tesla.
“Why slow expansion when charging infrastructure is one of the biggest sticking points for potential EV buyers?” said another poster, with another stating that “this seems like the worst place to cut spending but you do you, sista”.