Tesla heads are rolling over critical projects at Gigafactory Texas
While Tesla is conducting broader layoffs, Electrek is learning that heads are rolling at Tesla over specific critical projects at Gigafactory Texas.
Tesla announced today that it is laying off over 10% of its workforce. The automaker is again using “hiring inefficiencies due to rapid growth” as the reason for the layoffs.
However, Electrek is learning that Tesla is also using this round of layoffs to clean house on some projects in Austin, Texas.
We previously reported that Tesla’s SVP of Powertrain and Energy Engineering, Drew Baglino, left the company today.
Baglino was leading many engineering projects at Tesla, including the 4680 battery cell production and the cathode factory at Gigafactory Texas in Austin. Those two projects have seen serious delays.
Sources familiar with the matter have told Electrek that Tesla has also let go of Anthony Thurston, Senior Manager of Cathode Materials & Manufacturing at Tesla, who was reporting to Baglino regarding the cathode factory project.
A person familiar with the project described it to Electrek as “a financial black hole.”
The factory is meant to supply Tesla with processed cathode material for its own battery cell production at Gigafactory Texas.
Elon Musk is reportedly unhappy with the progress at the plant, and heads are rolling. It’s unclear if Baglino was let go or left on his own amid the layoffs. Electrek reached out to Baglino, but we didn’t get a response.
Musk also pushed for other changes at Gigafactory Texas.
We reported earlier today that he shut down a project called NV9 to build a next-gen cheaper electric vehicle at the plant. Instead, Musk asked for all resources to go into the Robotaxi program and, specifically, a new data center to be built in an ongoing expansion at the factory.
Sources familiar with the matter told Electrek that the project is behind schedule. Musk is accelerating the project’s timeline to be ready to turn on the data center by August 20th, but this is what it looks like right now.
The timeline was already ambitious, but the CEO has accelerated it amid some of the toughest months for construction in Austin. The project is expected to experience rain and wind delays on top of the logistic challenges of supplying the computing and power electronic hardware to build the data center.
Several people involved in the project were also let go, according to sources familiar with the matter, including Amir Mirshahi, director of infrastructure at Tesla Gigafactory Texas.
Individuals involved with the project referred to it as ‘Dojo,’ which is what Tesla calls its own supercomputer program, but two people familiar with this data center project said that it would use NVIDIA hardware.
We previously reported that Tesla let go of its Dojo leadership in December 2023.
Earlier this year, Tesla announced that it is building a $500 million Dojo supercomputer cluster in New York.
Tesla aims to use the new computing power from this New York project and this Gigafactory Texas project to train its AI for self-driving. Tesla plans to unveil its Robotaxi on August 8th.
Electrek’s Take
Tesla and Elon are pushing the narrative that the layoffs are due to “hiring inefficiencies due to rapid growth”, but there’s definitely more to it.
This is leading some Tesla fans to claim that “Tesla is just trimming the fat” and “firing the bottom 10% of performers”, but again, there’s more to it.
It looks like Elon is unhappy with some of Tesla’s programs and cleaning house, for better or worse. The layoffs sort of hide the programs being killed and the resources moving around or not needed anymore.
I want to be clear that I disagree with the characterization that people being let go at Tesla this week are not good at their jobs. It might be the case in some cases, but there can be a lot of factors that result in a program not working, and Elon himself can be a factor at times. He is known to move the goal post.
Tesla’s needs are changing because Elon is changing his mind on things.
In short, Elon is putting all of Tesla’s eggs in the same basket and that basket is called self-driving.
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Ford is cutting prices on the electric pickup by up to $4,000 to offset the loss of the federal EV tax credit. The 2026 Ford F-150 Lightning now offers more driving range at a lower price.
2026 Ford F-150 Lightning prices and range by trim
After the Tesla Cybertruck took the title as America’s best-selling electric pickup last year, the Ford F-150 Lightning is back on top in 2025.
Ford sold over 10,000 Lightnings in the third quarter, nearly double the roughly 5,400 Tesla Cybertrucks sold. Through September, Ford has sold over 23,000 electric pickups. According to Cox Automotive, Tesla has only sold 16,097 Cybertrucks this year, 38% fewer than it did during the same period in 2024.
After the $7,500 federal EV tax credit expired at the end of September, many automakers, including Ford, are bracing for less demand.
To keep the momentum going, Ford is reducing prices for the 2026 F-150 Lightning by up to $4,000. Company spokesperson Martin Günsberg confirmed with Electrek that Ford is cutting prices on the flash trim by $4,000 and the Lariat by $2,000.
Ford introduced a new base STX model that replaces the XLT for 2026. The 2026 Ford F-150 Lightning STX starts at $63,345, the same as the 2025 STX, but it delivers an extra 50 miles of driving range.
A 123 kW extended range battery powers the STX, providing an EPA estimated 290 miles of range. In comparison, the XLT delivered 240 miles of range from a 98 kWh battery.
Ford also raided the F-150 parts bin to add a few off-road goodies like running boards from the Tremor, new wheels, and more.
The 2026 F-150 Lightning Flash will start at $65,995, down from $69,995. Meanwhile, the 2026 Lariat and Platinum trims will be priced from $74,995 and $84,995.
| Ford F-150 Lightning trim | 2025 Starting Price | 2026 Starting Price | Range (EPA-est miles) |
| XLT | $63,345 | N/A | 240 |
| STX | N/A | $63,345 | 290 |
| Flash | $69,995 | $65,995 | 320 |
| Lariat | $76,995 | $74,995 | 320 |
| Platinum | $84,995 | $84,995 | 300 |
Although Ford decided not to move forward with plans for a program to extend the $7,500 EV tax credit, the company is still offering significant incentives to compensate for the loss of it.
The 2025 Ford F-150 Lighting STX is eligible for up to $11,500 in savings in California and other ZEV states. Ford is offering a $9,000 lease cash bonus and an additional $2,000 Ford Power Promise cash bonus. Alternatively, Ford is offering 0% APR financing for 72 months plus an extra $2,000 Power Promise bonus nationwide.
With the 2026 Lightning arriving, Ford is offering big savings on 2025 models. The 2025 F-150 Lightning XLT is currently listed for lease as low as $279 per month in California. You can use our link to find offers on the Ford F-150 Lightning near you (trusted affiliate link).
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Global EV sales passed the 2 million mark for the first time in September 2025, according to new data from EV research house Rho Motion – here’s how it breaks down.
A record-breaking September
Rho Motion’s data shows that 2.1 million EVs were sold worldwide in September, the highest monthly total ever recorded. The US, UK, South Korea, and China all hit major milestones, with tax credit deadlines, new registration cycles, and local incentives fueling the global boom.
“Global EV sales topped 2 million units in a single month for the first time, driven by record-breaking demand across major markets,” said Rho Motion’s data manager Charles Lester. “The US surged ahead as buyers raced to claim expiring tax credits, the UK hit new highs on the back of fresh registration plates and the Electric Car Grant, and South Korea set records thanks to Tesla, Hyundai, Kia, and rising BYD imports. Year to date, EV sales have reached 14.7 million – up 26%.”
EV sales by the numbers YTD (Jan–Sept 2025)
- Global: 14.7 million (+26%)
- China: 9.0 million (+24%)
- Europe: 3.0 million (+32%)
- North America: 1.5 million (+11%)
- Rest of World: 1.2 million (+48%)
Europe surges on incentives
Europe had a record-breaking month with 427,000 EVs sold, up 36% year-over-year and 55% from August. The UK led the charge with record demand tied to the launch of new license plates and the government’s Electric Car Grant, introduced in July. BEV sales rose 30% year-over-year, while PHEVs jumped nearly 60%.
Germany’s EV market is expected to get another boost in 2026 after the government approved a new €3 billion ($3.5 billion) incentive package targeting low- and middle-income households. It replaces the subsidy scheme that expired in December 2023. Italy and Spain also continue to see strong growth, with sales up two-thirds and more than double, respectively, compared to 2024.
US buyers rushed to beat tax credit deadlines
In North America, EV sales soared 66% year-over-year in September as US consumers scrambled to take advantage of federal incentives before they expired on September 30. The tax credits supported both purchases and leases.
But Rho Motion expects Q4 2025 demand to dip sharply as those credits disappear. Some automakers are already taking defensive steps: Hyundai has cut prices, while Mercedes-Benz has paused production of four EV models. GM has suspended a production shift at its Spring Hill, Tennessee, plant, and Volkswagen is stopping ID.4 production in Tennessee in October. Nissan has gone further, scrapping its plans to manufacture EVs in the US altogether.
China is the world’s EV powerhouse
China still dominates the global EV market, selling 1.3 million EVs in September, a record-breaking month powered by strong BEV demand. Pure-electric sales rose 28% year-over-year to 800,000 units, while PHEVs and range-extended EVs dipped by 2% to 470,000.
China has sold nearly 9 million EVs YTD, up 24% from 2024, cementing its position as the world’s largest and most mature EV market.
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
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On today’s hyped up hybrid episode of Quick Charge, we’ve got the first extended range electric Jeep in North America – the 500-mile new Grand Wagoneer PLUS news that Mazda is getting into the plug-in price war, and a whole lot more.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Climate XChange, a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies. The nonprofit just kicked off its 10th annual EV raffle, where participants have multiple opportunities to win their dream model. Visit CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek to learn more.
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If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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