Tesla has announced layoffs of “more than 10%” of its global workforce in an internal company-wide email. We exclusively reported yesterday that Tesla was prepping a massive layoff.
Then, over the weekend, we heard rumors that these layoffs were about to happen, which came to us from multiple independent sources, as we reported on yesterday. The rumors indicated that layoffs could be as high as 20%, and in addition we heard that Tesla would shorten Cybertruck production shifts at Gigafactory Texas (despite CEO Elon Musk’s recent insistence that Cybertruck is currently production constrained).
Now those rumors have been confirmed – though with a lower number – in a company-wide email sent by Musk, which leaked soon after it was sent. The full text of the email is below:
Over the years, we have grown rapidly with multiple factories scaling around the globe. With this rapid growth there has been duplication of roles and job functions in certain areas. As we prepare the company for our next phase of growth, it is extremely important to look at every aspect of the company for cost reductions and increasing productivity.
As part of this effort, we have done a thorough review of the organization and made the difficult decision to reduce our headcount by more than 10% globally. There is nothing I hate more, but it must be done. This will enable us to be lean, innovative and hungry for the next growth phase cycle.
I would like to thank everyone who is departing Tesla for their hard work over the years. I’m deeply grateful for your many contributions to our mission and we wish you well in your future opportunities. It is very difficult to say goodbye.
For those remaining, I would like to thank you in advance for the difficult job that remains ahead. We are developing some of the most revolutionary technologies in auto, energy and artificial intelligence. As we prepare the company for the next phase of growth, your resolve will make a huge difference in getting us there.
Thanks, Elon
Additionally there are reports that some employees have already been locked out of system access.
While we don’t have an exact percentage, “more than 10%” means at least 14,000 employees will be laid off, as Tesla’s employee headcount is somewhere on the order of 140,000 total employees (Notably, Tesla’s headcount has not experienced as much “rapid growth” in recent years as it has in the past, making that line of the email ring somewhat hollow).
And we don’t know which specific teams will be most or least affected by Tesla’s layoffs, but two well-known Tesla executives are now missing the “Tesla-affiliated” badge on twitter – Drew Baglino and Rohan Patel.
Baglino is still listed as Senior VP of Powertrain and Energy on Tesla’s website, and Patel is Tesla’s Policy chair who has also served as an impromptu Tesla PR arm on twitter, commenting on news in the place of Tesla’s still incomprehensibly-nonexistent PR department.
While this may not mean anything, the badge does still exist and is shown on Franz von Holzhausen and Martin Viecha‘s profiles, so it is conspicuous that it is missing from the aforementioned executives.
The news follows a bad quarterly delivery report in which Tesla significantly missed delivery estimates, and had a rare year-over-year reduction in sales. While Tesla does not break out sales by geographical region, the main dip seems to have come from China, where Chinese EV makers are ramping quickly both in the domestic and export market.
Tesla will deliver its quarterly profits report next Tuesday, April 23. Analysts estimate that Tesla will still turn a profit of around 50 cents a share, down from 85 cents a share in Q1 2023.
In previous quarters, Tesla has guided for a “pause” inbetween growth phases, expecting that sales growth would be more modest until the release of next-gen vehicles like the ~$25,000 Model 2 (though Reuters recently reported that Musk wants to shift Tesla’s focus to a robotaxi model, which Musk denied just hours before announcing the robotaxi unveiling event).
Tesla’s layoffs come at a time when many other companies in the tech industry are laying off staff, in an apparent game of follow-the-leader while industry profits are still high.
Electrek’s Take
One issue I’ve always had with Tesla is that, if anything, it feels like headcount in the company is too low, not too high. There are so many issues that seem to fall through the cracks (both on a high and low level – Tesla owners, have you ever had trouble getting in touch with someone in service?), and I think the reason for this is because Tesla employees are often overworked. This leads to burnout and turnover, a lack of institutional memory, and a lack of ownership for certain problems that don’t get solved.
Tesla owes a lot of its success to its “startup mentality,” where it’s all hands on deck to grow the company that is shaking up a couple of the largest entire sectors on earth – automotive and energy. The fact that it has shaken up these sectors so successfully is proof that this approach has been effective.
And that helps in recruiting as well – there are a lot of jobs that claim they are changing the world, but Tesla can really claim that it legitimately is on the vanguard of the changing transportation industry. That’s a great way to recruit the best and brightest, and as a result, the company hasn’t had to worry much about losing talent since it has such a recruitment advantage and can take its pick of the brightest minds out there (though that recruitment advantage could be changing, given Musk’s increasingly distasteful behavior).
However, Tesla is 20 years old now. It’s an enormous and established company. It needs to mature and have more established processes, less turnover, and more security for its employees. These sorts of things help reduce errors and increase morale.
While these layoffs are a reaction to a reduction in sales (but not a loss of money if analysts are to be believed – Tesla is likely still profitable, though we’ll hear more next Tuesday), they can’t be helping with morale.
Remaining employees will wake up to an email from a CEO who is increasingly absent as he spends all of his time addicted to an app he wasted $44 billion on (yet demands more stock while firing 10% of the company), see their already-large workloads get larger, and wonder if the feeling of changing the world is really worth all these newly-apparent downsides. Maybe they’ll wonder if getting poached by the new tech buzzword wouldn’t be so bad.
Which is a shame, because we do need Tesla to keep pushing things forward, and to keep attracting the best and brightest. While Pandora’s box is open and EVs are here to stay at this point, regardless Tesla’s ups and comparatively-rare downs, the rest of the industry is still trying hard to pump the brakes on the transition, even if it means America will be less competitive if they get their way.
Tesla is one of the few entities that is large enough and committed enough to dragging those timelines forward, whether the rest of the industry likes it or not. We need a healthy Tesla, and for that, we need good employee morale.
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It’s that time of the year once again, with Amazon’s Prime Day officially kicking off with plenty of amazing Green Deals and beyond – with several even continuing from earlier July 4th events. The savings train has officially rolled into the station, and this year we’re getting four days of deals that are dropping prices to some of the lowest of the year, alongside many of our favorite eco-friendly tech brands also offering direct parallel sales too. You’ll find price cuts on EVs, power stations, electric tools, ENERGY STAR-certified appliances, and much more below, curated together in this one-stop shopping hub. Don’t miss your chance to electrify your life at the best prices while they last during this event. We will be regularly updating this hub over the course of the event, so check back later if nothing catches your eye yet.
Rivian flew us out to Lake Tahoe to show off the crazy capabilities of its new quad-motor powertrain on both its R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV. Rivian’s original R1S and R1T were quad-motor vehicles, but as of the second generation of the R1 platform, only dual and tri-motor variants existed. So why quad? Why now?
First of all, let’s get the specs out of the way. The new Rivian Quad is a beast, all the way from its $120,000 price tag to its over 1,000 horsepower and 1200 lb-ft torque.
Prices for R1T start at $115,990 USD / $190,990 CAD and the R1S starts at $121,990 USD / $201,990 CAD – Deliveries begin summer 2025
Launch Edition R1T starts at $119,990 USD / $196,990 CAD and Launch Edition R1S starts at $125,990 USD / $207,990 CAD. Rivian is reintroducing Launch Edition for the Gen 2 Quad, celebrating the configuration that first defined our commitment to all-electric performance and adventure.
Destination and freight charge is $1,895 USD / $2 ,695 CAD
Powertrain: Horsepower: 1,025 hp Torque: 1,198 lb.-ft.
Range: EPA-estimated up to 3 74 miles of range (Up to 400 miles in Conserve mode)
Charge Port: NACS (North American Charging Standard)
How does one characterize this massive spec monster in the larger vehicle landscape? Before we try to get our head around that, there is more.
The Rivian R1 Quad brings back tank turn as a new feature: Kick Turn – And it is actually useful.
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From our history books, we know that one of the features that the original R1 Quads touted was the ability to turn in a circle/spin on its axis by having its right side wheels spin one way and its left side wheels spin the other. While the ‘tank turn’ disappointingly never made it to the original production vehicles, Rivian hadn’t let go of the idea.
Kick Turn.
The New R1 Quads bring back the ability to turn/spin on a dime when offroading. However, this isn’t just a parlor trick. It is actually useful when negotiating tight switchbacks.
Here’s what it is like to invoke the “Kick Turn” from inside the vehicle. Unintuitively, you don’t want to turn the steering wheel. Instead, you simultaneously push both steering wheel buttons in the direction you want to turn.
The same maneuver from behind:
I was able to use and master the kick turn pretty quickly after trying it for the first time and it is sooooo fun….and useful. Rivian says that the kick turn should only be done on gravel and loose dirt. But I could see ejecting out of a parallel parking spot with this feature…or doing a U-Turn on a country road.
I imagine the wear on the tires that are already taking a beating from this super heavy vehicle doing 2.5 second 0-60s is massive. Rivian says that the standard tires are guaranteed for 30,000 miles but imagine that loses a few miles every time a kick turn is invoked.
Perhaps most devestating, the original Rivian Quads won’t get the Kick Turn functionality. As an owner who was excited about the tank turn functionality when making my buying decision, I’m not pleased. Rivian says that the controllers for the original Quad Motors aren’t tuned and accurate enough to master the move. I’m ready to sign a petition that Rivian try anyway.
Quad offers four different wheel and tire options:
22” Super Sport
22” Sport Burnished Bronze
20” All-Terrain Dark
20” Dune Satin Graphite All-Terrain
Also, there will be Launch Editions:
Rivian is reintroducing Launch Edition for the Gen 2 Quad, celebrating the configuration that first defined our commitment to all-electric performance and adventure. The new Launch Edition Quad will feature an exclusive “Launch Edition” IP badge and a suite of special features, including: Two standard colorways:
Launch Edition exclusive: the return of Launch Green paint with Black Mountain + Brown Ash Wood interior
Storm Blue paint with Slate Sky + Walnut Wood interior Additional included features:
Lifetime Rivian Autonomy Platform+
Lifetime Connect+
Camp Speaker
Gen 2 Key fob
NACS native
One more nice thing about the Rivian R1 Quad is that it is the first Rivians, and one of the first non-Teslas overall, to have the NACS port standard. This allows the vehicle to charge at most Tesla chargers without adapter. The flip side however is that it will need the included CCS adapter to charge at most other network charging stations including Rivian’s own RAN charging network, at least until the networks and Rivian switch their chargers over to NACS. We had success on a V4 Supercharger near Lake Tahoe but obviously weren’t able to test the charging speed or charging curve since the vehicles we were given started at 80%.
One other nice trick is that the Quad has a control panel that allows the driver to make their own drive modes.
RAD Tuner (exclusively on Quad, coming in September): Developed by the Rivian Adventure Department, a team of engineers, software developers and designers who create and test features that push the boundaries of our vehicles.
Rivian drivers will have better control over their vehicle’s dynamic behavior. Through intuitive sliders, you can fine-tune ride handling while creating personalized and savable drive modes.
Start from scratch or build upon presets like “Rally” or “Sport.” There are even preset modes that were born from real-world triumphs:
Desert Rally mode was meticulously engineered during the 2023 Rebelle Rally, a grueling competition where the R1T made history as the first fully-electric vehicle to ever win
Hill Climb mode was honed at the legendary Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, where in 2024, our R1T conquered the race as the fastest production truck to ever make the ascent.
Oh and Rivian now lets you record Launch Mode with Launch Cam so those 2.5 second 0-60s where you beat the Ferrari off the line can now be downloaded and shared with friends on social media. The videos include real-time stats like speed and distance overlays. Unfortunately Rivian no longer includes an interior camera to capture passengers’ reactions.
Electrek’s take
At a starting price near $120K and realistically over that with some bells and whistles, the Rivian R1 Quad vehicles aren’t going to have mass appeal. In fact, I don’t think these will even be Rivian’s top sells since the $80,000 Rivian vehicles with dual motors are almost as good (and better on efficiency).
However, Rivian is really trying to build its brand ahead of the R2 launch and this vehicle is as adventurous as it gets, electric or otherwise. Think about it: This is a 7-seat, off roading monster that will beat almost any supercar off the line…and can now spin on a dime.
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Kia is entering Europe’s most competitive EV segment with the upgraded EV5. It’s slightly smaller than the Tesla Model Y, but Kia says the EV5 is “a cornerstone” to its growth strategy in Europe.
Kia EV5 lands in Europe
After launching the EV5 in China in November 2023, Kia’s electric SUV quickly became a hit. It’s already leading Kia’s comeback in the world’s largest EV market.
Although Kia has introduced the EV5 in other markets, including Australia and New Zealand, this is the first time it has revealed specs for the upgraded version specifically designed for Europe.
The upgraded EV5 is powered by an 81.4 kWh battery offering up to 329 miles of WLTP range. Unlike the Chinese version, which uses a BYD LFP Blade battery, the European version features a nickel-manganese-cobalt battery pack.
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It will be available in baseline and GT-line models. All EV5 variants can recharge from 10% to 80% in as little as 30 minutes.
Both variants are offered in FWD with up to 215 hp (160 kW) and 218 lb-ft (295 Nm) of torque. Kia’s electric SUV also includes bi-directional charging, including vehicle-to-load (V2L) with up to 3.6 kW of power.
Kia EV5 GT-Line for Europe (Source: Kia)
The exterior remains essentially unchanged from the version sold in China, featuring an upright stance similar to that of the larger EV9.
The European-spec EV5 measures 4,610 mm in length, 1,875 mm in width, and 1,675 mm in height, which is slightly smaller than the Tesla Model Y. It’s closer in size to the Hyundai IONIQ 5.
Kia EV5 baseline trim for Europe (Source: Kia)
Inside, the EV5 “creates a lounge-like environment” with comfort-focused seats that include massage functions, heating, and ventilation.
The interior is centered around Kia’s new ccNC (connect car Navigation Cockpit) infotainment system. The setup includes dual 12.3″ driver clusters and infotainment screens in a panoramic display, plus a 5.3″ climate control display.
Kia EV5 GT-Line interior (EU) (Source: Kia)
Kia will build the upgraded EV5 for Europe in Korea, unlike the Chinese version, which is produced by its joint venture Kia Yueda.
Although prices have yet to be confirmed, the EV5 will sit between the EV3 and EV6 in Kia’s lineup. Given the EV4 starts at £34,695 ($47,700) and the EV6 is priced from £39,235 ($53,200), the EV5 is expected to start at below £40,000 ($55,000) in the UK.
Kia EV5 GT-Line interior (EU) (Source: Kia)
Sjoerd Knipping, Kia Europe’s COO, said that “The EV5 is a cornerstone of Kia’s European growth strategy.” He added that the electric SUV is “tailored to the way Europeans live, work, and drive.”
Kia has already confirmed the EV5 will be sold in other global markets, including Canada. However, it will not arrive in the US.
The company said it will launch the EV5 “exclusively for the Canadian market” in North America. It will be available with FWD and AWD powertrains, as well as two battery sizes: 60.3 kWh and 81.4 kWh, offering a range of up to 310 miles (500 km).
What do you think of Kia’s new electric SUV? Would you buy one over the Tesla Model Y or the Hyundai IONIQ 5? Let us know in the comments.
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