I turned in a 2021 Tesla Model 3 and leased a 2024 Model Y, and I learned firsthand how badly Tesla’s layoffs have affected morale and customer service.

My firsthand experience of Tesla layoffs

My husband and I wanted to work with Tesla’s new South Burlington, Vermont, Tesla Center because it’s an easy 1 hour 20 minutes drive away. However, it’s not handling lease returns or new car deliveries yet.

The fledgling team at South Burlington doesn’t know when lease returns or new car deliveries will start. They told me, “Could be weeks, could be months.” The customer service team in Las Vegas didn’t know either. Kinda makes you wonder, who does actually know?

Anyway, we had to do the thing that Vermonters have had to do for years, which is drive five hours south to the Tesla Center in Paramus, New Jersey. That’s because New Hampshire doesn’t have a Tesla Center, and Massachusetts doesn’t allow out-of-state car pickups.

But first, I had to go through the leasing process on the Tesla app. Spoiler: It wasn’t good.

The app first suggested a delivery date that we simply couldn’t attend – driving to New Jersey and back in a day is a 12-hour day. So I repeatedly called Tesla customer service to make alternate arrangements, and no one answered the phone. My favorite part was the robo recording voice that said, “We care about you” then said goodbye. What a time suck.

Tesla then canceled our car because we couldn’t confirm the delivery date on the app (or speak to a human on the phone, or by email or text, because the company is now short-staffed).

Pre-layoffs, I was working with an ownership loyalty advisor based in Fremont, but that person stopped replying to me when the cuts started. In desperation, I sent that person multiple emails and texts. (Everyone in this article is anonymous to protect their privacy – and their jobs.) The loyalty advisor finally surfaced via text, apologized, and put the Model Y back into our account.

I restarted the leasing process and filled out the finance application on the app. It sat unapproved for days. So I called Tesla again and this time got a Las Vegas-based customer service rep on the phone. That person said that “it didn’t go through for whatever reason” and asked me to resubmit my application from scratch. That was a pain but whatever.

My finance application then sat unapproved, for days, right up to the night before we were due to pick the Model Y up in Paramus. The customer service rep said that finance is short-staffed and overwhelmed with applications, thanks to the new 0.99% APR financing offer on Model Ys. The rep in Las Vegas advised that we call Paramus in the morning and tell them we can’t come because finance hadn’t approved our leasing application.

I woke up early the next morning to see in the app that Tesla Finance had approved our application overnight. I clicked on “accept” and was repeatedly rewarded with a 500 error message. I just. Couldn’t. Complete. The transaction. [Silent scream.]

Since we had approval, we quickly took off for New Jersey. We were in Massachusetts when the Las Vegas customer service rep called me in response to my text pleas for help. I told that person that approval had gone through at 1:30 am and they said, “Yeah, they’re having to work really long hours to keep up, they’re overwhelmed.”

The customer service rep pushed my lease terms acceptance through, with my permission, and then I finally – finally! – finished the leasing process on the app. A snippet of a convo the rep and I had:

Me: Have layoffs left you all short-staffed? Has it affected morale?

Tesla customer service rep: [silence] Um… this is a recorded line.

Me: So I’m just going to take that as a yes.

Rep: [nervous giggle]

We arrived for our 3 pm appointment. The Tesla Center reps were completely open about how layoffs have affected them and wanted me to share what they said:

We were left alone here [no layoffs] because we’re a major distribution center. But Springfield [NJ] got wiped out. Sometimes some of us go down there to help them.

We want you to share that everyone’s morale is low. We are overworked and understaffed, and we feel sad for our friends who were our colleagues who lost their jobs. This has been really, really bad.

The in-person Model 3/Model Y swap was seamless and the person who helped us do that was great. In fact, every person – once I could get them on the phone – was helpful and knowledgeable. There just aren’t enough of them.

Electrek’s Take

I made the decision to once again spend my hard-earned money at Tesla. Elon’s layoffs made the entire process stressful and unpleasant because there weren’t enough people to assist. These layoffs have not only affected morale, they’ve seriously harmed customer service quality, and thus the customer experience.

The Tesla staff we dealt with are professionals that have been thrown into a situation where they’re basically trying to spin gold out of straw. It’s not their fault.

It should have felt celebratory, picking up the Model Y, like it did three years ago with the Model 3. I then wrote about my wonderful experience, and to my delight, Elon retweeted my story. This time, I feel exhausted, sad, and disappointed.

I told my Electrek colleagues about my experience. Jamie reminded me of his recent post where he pointed out that Elon is “currently trying to convince shareholders to give him $55 billion – enough to pay the 14,000+ employees he’s laid off six-figure salaries for ~40 years.”

Fred initially expressed concern that people underestimate the impact of the layoffs. So I asked him to elaborate on his thoughts. He explained:

Layoffs are always brutal, but Tesla’s latest round of layoffs were especially brutal.

Some employees drove long commutes to work to realize their credentials were revoked, some worked entire shifts only to get home to realize that they had received a personal email telling them they had been fired midway or even prior to their shifts. Some were fired to make an example of their team and boss for pushing back against further layoffs.

For those who remain, those laid off were their friends who were treated like that. It shakes your belief in your employer. That’s when company morale takes a real hit. 

Then, your friends find other jobs and they let you know about them, where they can still contribute to the mission to accelerate sustainable energy with better conditions and no pigeon CEO. That creates another hit to morale, and an extended exodus of talent.

More than once in this chaotic process I thought about abandoning Tesla and leasing an EV from another automaker. The only reason I stuck with the Model Y is because I was already in pretty deep, the Model Y is a great deal right now, and, well, I love driving Teslas. I’m really down about it all, but I’m not out. Yet.

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The battle over Elon Musk’s compensation package is heating up as a big advisory firm is recommending shareholders vote against it, and Musk fans are resorting to scare tactics.

Over the last few weeks, Tesla shareholders have been voting on several new proposals put forward by the board.

The two main proposals that the board is trying to get through are a new vote on Musk’s 2018 CEO compensation package and moving Tesla’s state of incorporation to Texas.

The two are closely related as Tesla’s board and Musk have blamed the fact that they lost a lawsuit invalidating the 2018 compensation package on the fact that the lawsuit happened in Delware, where Tesla is incorporated.

Tesla incorporated in Delaware, like many other American companies, because the states has laws extremely favorable to corporations. However, Musk believes, without any evidence, that the judge’s decision was politically motivated and believes that Tesla would have better luck in Texas.

And Tesla will need better luck because the new shareholder’s vote on the compensation package doesn’t automatically invalidate the judge’s decision to rescind the package and more legal challenges are expected. Tesla’s own lawyers admit it’s basically a poll.

Regardless, Tesla has been pushing hard for shareholders to revote in favor the package and the move to Texas.

As we previously reported, the company’s board launched a website and even started buying ads to push the vote in that direction.

The shareholder battle is starting to heat up. We recently reported on a major pension fund that has announced that it will vote against it and encouraged other shareholders to do the same.

Now Glass Lewis, a major shareholder advisory firm whose clients include a significant part of major institutional investors, announced that they are also recommending to vote against it, which they also did in 2018, and shareholders still approved the move.

On the other hand, Musk’s army of fans are resorting to scare tactics to push the vote in his direction.

We recently reported on Musk’s reiterating his threat to not build AI products at Tesla unless he has 25% control over the company.

It was confirmed today that Musk’s new AI startup, xAI, has raised $6 billion a new series B round at a $24 billion valuation.

Some of his biggest sycophants, like unofficial chief propagandist Omar Qazi, are now pushing the idea that if they don’t decide to give Musk everything he wants, he will go after Tesla’s AI efforts through its newly funded xAI:

Memorial Day is here, which means all the amazing deals we’ve covered over the last one to two weeks will be ending soon. Kicking off this week’s Green Deals (and leading the end of our Memorial Day sales coverage) is the EGO Power+ 56V 42-inch Z6 Zero-Turn Riding Mower with four 10.0Ah batteries and an extra two 5.0Ah batteries for $4,999. It is joined by the Himalayan Pink Aventon Level.2 Commuter Step-Through e-bike at $1,499, as well as the VEVOR 40A Level 2 Portable EV Charger for $128. Plus, all the other hangover Green Deals that are still alive and well.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

With its Memorial Day sale on its final day, Amazon is now preparing for Father’s Day needs by offering the EGO POWER+ 56V 42-inch Z6 Zero Turn Riding Mower with four 10.0Ah batteries and an extra two 5.0Ah batteries for $4,999 shipped. With this bundle usually going for $6,097, this is the lowest price we have seen to date, with only two previous discounts to speak of. You can find the mower with its normal battery amount currently discounted to the same rate, meaning you’re getting two extra batteries for no added cost while already saving you $1,098. You can also find a similar bundle on the Z6 riding mower with four 12.0Ah batteries and an e-steer wheel at $5,499, down from $6,597.

The Z6 riding mower comes stocked with four 10.0Ah batteries that allows it to cover up to 2 acres of land on a single charge (which can be slightly extended with the extra two batteries). Its four independent brushless motors are housed within the 42-inch weather-resistant steel cutting deck, equivalent to a 22-horsepower engine, allowing it to move at up to 8 MPH. You’ll have 10 cutting heights to choose from here, ranging from 1.5 inches to 4.5 inches, three different driving modes, as well as 3-in-1 functionality for mulching, bagging, or side-discharges. It also sports some premium features like the 32 LED lights laid out on its front, sides, and rear for those early morning or late evening jobs – and even Bluetooth connectivity and a USB charging port for devices.

More EGO Power+ discounts:

Aventon’s Himalayan Pink Level.2 Commuter Step-Through e-bike now $1,499

As part of its Memorial Day sale, Best Buy is offering the Aventon Himalayan Pink Level.2 Commuter Step-Through e-bike for $1,499 shipped. Regularly fetching $1,949, in 2023 we saw this particular model drop farthest during Black Friday sales, where it was brought down to $1,499. With this colorway no longer being offered from Aventon directly, we’ve mainly seen it included in Best Buy flash sales since the start of the new year, with today’s deal coming in as a $450 markdown that returns costs to the third-lowest price we have tracked – not only matching Black Friday rates, but also matching Aventon’s current Memorial Day rate.  It’s also among some of the Electrek favorites, which you can read about in our launch review or by heading below.

This flagship commuter e-bike comes ready to carry you wherever needed around town with its 500W rear-hub motor (750W peak) paired alongside a fully-integrated 14.0Ah battery that provides a 60-mile travel range on a single charge. Using only its throttle you’ll top off at 20 MPH, but when utilizing the five different levels of pedal assistance, that limit is bumped up to 28 MPH.

It also comes with a rear-mounted rack for carrying along cargo as well as front and rear fenders to protect the bike from any adverse elements during your journey. It features integrated head and taillights, with the rear lights offering a brake light function, and you’ll find a handy backlit LCD display attached to the handlebars that gives you real-time status of all the important metrics: speed, travel distance, pedal assistance settings, and battery levels.

As I stated before, this lowered price currently matches Aventon’s Memorial Day sale rate, albeit there is one tradeoff worth noting – by sacrificing the colorway, you’ll receive a free extra battery from Aventon’s direct sale that doubles the e-bike’s mileage from 60 miles to 120 miles!

VEVOR’s 40A Level 2 Portable EV Charger with NEMA 14-50 plug at new $128 low

Alongside its Memorial Day sales, Amazon is offering the VEVOR Level 2 Portable EV Charger with NEMA 14-50 Plug for $128.24 shipped, after clipping the on-page 10% off coupon. Already down from its $200 price tag, it entered the new year at $150 before steadily rising at small rates until April, when we finally started seeing some short-lived price cuts before once more rising back up. Today’s deal comes in to shake up the stagnation as a combined 36% markdown off the going rate that gives you $72 in savings and drops costs to a new all-time low.

This portable 40A level 2 EV charger can be stowed away in your vehicle (or kept out for regular use thanks to the included accessory parts) for quick and effortless charging solutions whenever you find yourself far from any official charging stations. It features an LED display that conveys in-time information, as well as a smart chip that provides protection against lightning, leakage, grounding, over voltage, under voltage, over charge, over current, and overheating. You’ll also be able to fully monitor and control the device through your smartphone, letting you even schedule charging for 1 to 12 hours, with options to take advantage of off-peak hours. It is compatible with vehicles and plug-in hybrids that comply with the J1772 standard, requiring only a NEMA 14-50 outlet to plug the charger into.

Spring e-bike deals!

• Super73 RX Electric Motorbike: $2,600 (Reg. $3,695)
• Aventon Ramblas Mountain e-bike: $2,399 (Reg. $2,699)
• Lectric ONE Long-Range e-bike with $220 in free gear (pre-order): $2,199 (Reg. $2,419)
• Juiced JetCurrent Pro Foldable e-bike (pre-order): $2,099 (Reg. $2,799)
• Lectric ONE e-bike with $220 in free gear: $1,999 (Reg. $2,219)
• Hover-1 Altai Pro R750 e-bike: $1,816 (Reg. $3,000)
• Aventon Abound Cargo e-bike with $494 in free accessories: $1,599 (Reg. $2,199)
• Rad Power RadRunner Plus Utility e-bike with free extra battery: $1,599 (Reg. $1,799)
• Lectric XPress 750 High-Step e-bike with extra battery (pre-order): $1,299 (Reg. $1,799)
• Lectric XPress 750 Step-Thru e-bike with extra battery (pre-order): $1,299 (Reg. $1,799)
• Rad Power RadExpand 5 Folding e-bike with free extra battery: $1,249 (Reg. $1,599)
• Rad Power RadRover 6 Plus e-bike: $1,099 (Reg. $1,599)
• Schwinn Ridgewood Electric Mountain Bike: $800 (Reg. $1,500)
• Aventon Soltera.2 e-bike: $799 (Reg. $999)
• Schwinn Ingersoll Electric Hybrid Bike: $700 (Reg. $1,500)
• Schwinn Mendocino Hybrid Electric Cruiser Bike: $699 (Reg. $1,700)

Other new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.

• Best Memorial Day EV deals: e-bikes, GoKarts, more from Aventon, Rad Power, Lectric, Segway, and other popular brands
• Post-launch discount on Jackery’s Explorer 600 portable power station sees drop to $419 low
• Best Buy Memorial Day sale takes $400+ off this Greenworks electric 3-tool combo with free extra battery promo starting from $600
• Anker’s PowerCore Reserve power station gives you 60,000mAh battery in easy-to-carry design at new $95 low (Reg. $150)
• Bluetti AC180 power station comes with 200W solar panel for return $879 low (Save $719), more from $159
• Zip and drift in the Segway Ninebot GoKart Pro with rare deal at $1,600 (Reg. $2,300), more from $200
• Yards and gardens thrive with Rachio 3 smart 4-zone sprinkler controller at new $98 low, more for Memorial Day
• Goal Zero’s latest Yeti portable power stations hit new lows starting at $225, more offers from $113
• Save thousands in Amazon’s ECOFLOW power station Memorial Day sale, up to 47% off with deals from $169
• Anker SOLIX C1000 Portable Power Station falls $390 to new $609 low in Memorial Day sales
• Jackery’s Memorial Day sales take up to $2,000 off power stations, bundles, more from $199
• Jackery’s new Explorer 1000 v2 power station now $679 in pre-order special (Save $120)
• Amazon takes up to 50% off Greenworks tools during Memorial Day sales starting from $97
• Prep for camps or storms with Jackery’s solar generator 2000 Pro bundle at return $1,899 low (Reg. $3,599)
• Pit Boss’ table top wood pellet grill covers campsite meals at $240 (Reg. $369)