Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) shares added almost 4% after it was announced that the head of its divisive Cybertruck unit, Siddhant Awasthi, is departing the company after eight years.
Awasthi began his career at Tesla as an intern in 2017 and eventually led the Cybertruck program from engineering through mass production. In July 2025, he also assumed responsibility for the Model 3 program, overseeing product strategy, quality improvements, and supply chain management.
Awasthi’s departure comes amid a series of high-level exits at Tesla, as the company faces a mix of challenges, including uneven sales, recalls of the Cybertruck, changes in US electric vehicle incentives, and increased competition in the EV sector.
The Cybertruck has struggled commercially. Only about 16,000 units were sold in the first three quarters of 2025, far short of the company’s original target of around 250,000 units annually. Tesla has recently offered substantial discounts on Cybertruck inventory.
Tesla has not yet announced Awasthi’s successor.
In a post on LinkedIn, Awasthi described his time working at Tesla as “thrilling” and expressed confidence in Tesla’s future. “This decision wasn’t easy, especially with so much exciting growth on the horizon,” Awasthi wrote.
“Tesla vehicles are incredibly complex systems that often don’t get the credit they deserve, but I’ve witnessed firsthand how they’ve changed lives—for our customers, my friends, and my family—adding real value and, above all, improving safety.”