Connect with us

Published

on

Some Tesla employees officially asked for Elon Musk to resign as they confirmed the automaker is facing a massive demand problem, which they attribute to the CEO.

One employee got fired for it.

Regardless of the political spectrum, there’s no doubt that many Tesla employees still support CEO Elon Musk amid his extreme politicization, whether because they agree with his politics or because they support his vision for Tesla to become an AI and robotics company.

However, not all Tesla employees agree.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

There’s a growing movement within Tesla employees that recognizes that Musk is currently hurting Tesla’s mission to accelerate the advent of electric transport by alienating a large part of the consumer base and politicizing Tesla’s products.

In 2024, Tesla’s sales declined for the first time in a decade, and in Q1 2025, the decline greatly accelerated.

Tesla has been trying to blame the acceleration on the Model Y changeover in the first quarter, but as we have extensively reported over the last few months, there is plenty of evidence that demand is crashing despite the new Model Y’s availability.

Some Tesla employees recognize what is happening, and they are afraid that the company is ignoring Musk’s negative impact on demand.

A group of current and former Tesla employees published an open letter in which they wrote:

The damage done to Elon’s personal brand is now irreversible and as the public face of Tesla, that damage has become our burden. We are now at a crossroads: continue with Elon as CEO and face further decline as customers abandon the brand, or move forward without him and allow our products and mission to succeed or fail on their own.

They are hoping for the latter to happen, but Musk and the board have completely ignored the demand problem.

The Tesla employees believe that Musk’s announcement that he will “refocus” on Tesla and spend less time on DOGE during Tesla’s earnings call last month was an example of that:

Elon’s recent claim that he is “refocusing” on Tesla is not only tone-deaf, it’s insulting. It implies that the hardships of the past six months stem from a lack of his attention, not from his actions. It shifts the blame onto the very people who have held this company together. Let’s be clear: we are not the problem. Our products are not the problem. Our engineering, service, and delivery teams are not the problem. The problem is demand. The problem is Elon.

The employees highlight how EV sales were up 10% in Q1 in the US while Tesla’s sales were down 9%.

The group of employees is also not buying Tesla’s excuse that it was simply due to people waiting for the new Model Y as they now confirm that thousands of new Model Ys are now sitting in inventory:

Now those very cars are sitting unsold, growing week after week. Production is running better than ever. Quality is high. Processes are strong. Demand is what’s broken. This is not a product problem. It is a leadership problem.

Electrek reported over the last few weeks that new Model Ys have been showing up as inventory vehicles despite Tesla opening up orders just weeks ago.

They are officially asking for Tesla to move forward without Musk as CEO

Tesla is ready to move forward. And we’re ready to move forward without Elon as CEO.

One of the Tesla employees behind the letter, Matthew LaBrot, has been let go, and he claims it’s due to his association with the letter.

He published it on a website and said on LinkedIn that he was let go because of it.

LaBrot had been at Tesla for more than 5 years and he was “Staff Program Manager for Sales and Delivery Training Programs” for the last 3 years.

A X account was also created to share the letter, but it was suspended by the platform, which is owned by Musk, who calls himself a “free speech absolutist.”

Tesla’s demand issues are getting so significant that the automaker told workers at Gigafactory Texas working on the Cybertruck and Model Y production lines to take a full week off.

Electrek’s Take

I’m happy to see some Tesla employees challenging the false narrative that there are no real demand issues. I liked how the letter framed the situation. It made it clear that Musk is the source of Tesla’s main problems right now.

Ignoring Tesla’s problems with the hope that you will soon figure out self-driving, even though you have been wrong about it for years, won’t make them disappear.

Unfortunately, Tesla is making it clear that injecting a dose of reality into this narrative will get you fired.

It’s a really sad time for a once-incredible company that had a massive impact on the auto industry and accelerated electrification.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Anker launches SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 station starting from $749, save up to $1,116 during Tenways’ early Black Friday e-bike sale, more

Published

on

By

Anker launches SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 station starting from 9, save up to ,116 during Tenways' early Black Friday e-bike sale, more

Headlining today’s Green Deals is the official launch of Anker’s new SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station and bundles that start at $749 for folks who took advantage of the early-bird savings promotion, while everyone else can score them starting from $799. We also have Tenways’ Early Black Friday Sale with up to $1,116 in savings on e-bikes, as well as select 50% off Power Bank (range extender) bundle options – all starting from $1,499. From there, we have exclusive Bluetti Halloween Sale deals on the Apex 300 Versatile Power Station and bundles starting from a new $1,349 low, as well as lawncare equipment from Worx and Greenworks, first savings on VIOFO’s new A229 Ultra dash cams, and more ongoing favorites waiting for you below. And don’t forget about the hangover deals from last week that are collected together at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Aventon Level 3 Smart Commuter e-bike early Black Friday savings, EcoFlow’s latest 48-hour Halloween flash sale that ends tonight, and more.

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.

man and woman sitting by lake with Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 power station connected to RV

Anker officially launches new SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 power station and bundles with up to 50% savings from $749

Anker has officially launched its new SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station with up to $1,100 savings, unless you subscribed ahead of time to receive the code that allows for additional savings from the brand’s direct website. For folks who missed out on the early-bird deals, you can pick up the power station on its own for $799 shipped, which is also matching in price over at Amazon. It will normally fetch $1,499 at full price once these launch deals end, with the folks who subscribed and scored the code ahead of time getting an additional $50 off the price for $749 shipped. These are the very first savings of $700 and $750 off the going rate, setting the bar for future deals. Head below to learn more about this station’s capabilities, as well as get the full lineup of bundle deals we’re seeing both from the brand’s website and Amazon.

Coming as a remodeling of the legacy F2000 model, Anker’s new SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 power station brings more power and faster charging within a smaller and lighter form factor. It’s base LiFePO4 battery capacity starts at 2,048Wh and can be expanded up to 4,096Wh with the expansion battery bundle below. Through its 11 output ports (five ACs, one TT-30R RV port, three USB-Cs, one USB-A, and a car port) it delivers up to 2,400W of power that can surge up to 4,000W, which beats out its predecessor by 400W.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Anker’s SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 comes with six primary recharging methods, including an AC outlet (88 minutes for 100%), a gas generator (88 minutes for 100%), up to 800W of solar input (three hours for 100%), using both AC and solar simultaneously (58 minutes for 100%), your car’s auxiliary port (23 hours for 100%), or with the brand’s new 800W alternator charger.

***Note: The prices below do not factor in the early-bird savings code you should have received by subscribing ahead of this launch, so be sure to use it at checkout for even lower rates!

Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 launch deals:

If you’re looking for something more compact, you can still score Anker’s PowerCore Reserve 60,000mAh/192Wh power station down at $80 right now. There’s also the brand’s Halloween Sale that is offering up to 63% discounts on units, with camping-ready solutions starting from $398, while we’re also seeing returning low prices on the SOLIX F3000 power station and bundles starting from $1,399, as well as the F3800 Plus power station and bundles starting from $2,599.

man and woman sitting on beach at night next to Tenways CGO600 Pro e-bikes

Get up to $1,116 early Black Friday savings on Tenways e-bike bundles starting from $1,499

Tenways has launched its Early Black Friday Sale, with up to $600 in savings on e-bikes alongside 50% off accessories, including the ongoing $1,116 savings on the AGO X All-Terrain Mid-Drive e-bike that gets a FREE Power Bank (range extender). Among the other deals we’re seeing, you can find Tenways’ CGO600 Pro Lightweight Commuter e-bike (both the chain and belt drives) with $118 in FREE add-on gear at $1,499 shipped – plus, you can add on a Power Bank (range extender) at 50% off on the page. Normally going for $1,899 in full, we’ve mostly been seeing the price taken down to $1,599 since March due to tariff hikes, with occasional falls lower to $1,499 for short timeframes. While we have seen it go lower in the past pre-tariff market, the deal here is a solid $400 price cut lending to a total $518 in savings ($672 if you add the Power Bank) that is the best price we’ve seen in our post-tariff market. You can also score an additional $150 off when buying two e-bikes together, with the usual medical provider, first responder, teacher, or military member discounts available too.

If you want to learn more about these particular e-bikes, as well as browse the full lineup of deals, be sure to check out our original coverage of this Early Black Friday Sale here.

father and daughter at camping table surrounded by lights powered by Bluetti Apex 300 power station

Bluetti offers up to 47% exclusive Halloween savings on its Apex 300 series starting from new $1,349 low

As part of its newly launched Halloween Sale, and running parallel to the ongoing exclusive Pioneer Na(Sodium) power station launch savings, we are seeing lower-than-ever pricing on the brand’s Apex 300 Versatile Power Station and its bundles. Prices start from $1,349.10 shipped for the power station alone, after using the exclusive code 9TO5TOYS10F at checkout (and which only works for this series). It’s been carrying a $2,399 MSRP since releasing in May, though we’ve regularly had exclusive deals for our readers that take significantly more off the tag. We spotted this station previously dropping down the lowest three weeks ago during Prime Day, when it hit $1,394, but that rate is beaten out here by $45, giving you a total $1,050 savings at the best price we have tracked.

If you want to learn more about this power station series, or see the full lineup of offers, be sure to check out our original coverage of these exclusive deals here.

man converting the Worx 20V 10-inch cordless chainsaw into a pole saw

Worx’s 20V 10-inch cordless chainsaw gains extended reach with the pole attachment for $130

Amazon is offering the versatile Worx 20V 10-inch Cordless PowerShare Pole/Chainsaw Kit at $129.99 shipped. While it carries a $190 MSRP directly from the brand, it’s been keeping to $158 at full price here, with discounts mostly dropping costs between $140 and $130, though we did spy a one-time drop to $102 back in February. Aside from the early-year deal, you’re getting the next-best price that we have tracked over 2025, with $28 cut from Amazon’s going rate (and $60 off the MSRP).

If you want to learn more about this handy 2-in-1 tool, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

man mowing front lawn with Greenworks 80V 21-inch cordless self-propelled SmartCut Lawn Mower

Best Fall EV deals!

Best 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.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Tesla signals Cybercab might actually get a steering wheel

Published

on

By

Tesla signals Cybercab might actually get a steering wheel

Tesla’s chairwoman said that the automaker might redesign the Cybercab, specifically add a steering wheel and pedals.

Last year, Tesla unveiled the Cybercab, a two-seater electric car without a steering wheel or pedals.

Musk was quoted during the design of the Cybercab:

No mirrors, no pedals, no steering wheel. Let me be clear. This vehicle must be designed as a clean robotaxi. We’re going to take that risk…But we are not going to design some sort of amphibian frog that’s a halfway car. We are all in on autonomy.

Here’s the interior of the Tesla Cybercab:

Advertisement – scroll for more content

The vehicle was one of several new, cheaper electric vehicles that Tesla was developing for its new ‘unboxed’ platform, but CEO Elon Musk canceled the others, believing they wouldn’t be needed with the advent of autonomous driving.

However, Tesla has yet to solve unsupervised autonomous driving, and Musk has been consistently wrong about predicting when it will happen.

Tesla plans to bring the Cybercab to production in 2026, and during Tesla’s earnings call last week, Musk said the Cybercab will account for the bulk of Tesla’s upcoming production growth.

That’s not going to happen if Tesla hasn’t solved unsupervised self-driving.

Furthermore, while federal regulations for self-driving vehicles have been relaxed recently, there’s only an exemption available for 2,500 passenger vehicles without a steering wheel or pedals per manufacturer per year.

Now, Tesla chairwoman Robin Denholm said in an interview with Bloomberg today that Tesla plans to add a steering wheel and pedals to the Cybercab if needed:

“If we have to have a steering wheel, it can have a steering wheel and pedals.”

Tesla is currently setting up Cybercab production at Gigafactory Texas near Austin.

The automaker has framed the vehicle as a cheaper alternative to Model Y for its Robotaxi service.

Electrek’s Take

Just yesterday, I was talking to my friend Bastien, and he called it. He told me he bets Tesla does launch the Cybercab next year, but with a steering wheel and pedals.

Now, let’s be clear. As of today, Tesla’s need for a steering wheel and pedals in the Cybercab is not driven by regulators, as Denholm suggests.

Tesla hasn’t solved unsupervised self-driving as evidenced by the current version of ‘Full Self-Driving (Supervised)’ in consumer vehicles, and its Robotaxi service still has safety monitors.

If Tesla wants to produce and deliver the Cybercab in any significant volume, it would need a steering wheel.

The regulations are just an excuse as of now.

It could change in the future, but for now, Tesla’s technology is without a doubt the limiting factor.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Lucid’s (LCID) $50,000 midsize EVs will offer ‘mind-off’ Level 4 autonomy

Published

on

By

Lucid's (LCID) ,000 midsize EVs will offer 'mind-off' Level 4 autonomy

After securing a new partnership, Lucid Motors (LCID) said it plans to offer the industry’s first “mind-off” Level 4 autonomous EVs powered by NVIDIA.

Lucid plans to offer mind-off L4 autonomous EVs

Lucid launched its first internally developed advanced driver assistance system, DreamDrive Pro, in the Lucid Air in 2021.

Over the past few years, the ADAS system has evolved, gaining new features and capabilities. Most recently, it introduced hands-free driving and lane-change capabilities via a software update released in June.

Lucid said the new capabilities offer a glimpse of what’s to come. The company said today’s landmark initiative puts it on track to offer Level 4 autonomous EVs.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Through its new collaboration, Lucid plans to deliver the “first Level 4 autonomous EVs for Consumers with NVIDIA. Lucid will integrate NVIDIA’s DRIVE AV into its upcoming midsize EV models to unlock the new capabilities.

Lucid-mind-off-L4-EVs
Lucid’s midsize crossover SUV (left) and Gravity SUV (right) Source: Lucid

Lucid will use two NVIDIA DRIVE AGX THOR computers with NVIDIA DriveOS for the midsize lineup. The setup will unify all automated driving functions under one centralized architecture, enabling “seamless evolution.”

The company will begin with eyes-on, point-to-point driving (L2++) for the Gravity SUV. Lucid said it aims to offer “the first true eyes-off, hands-off, and mind-off (L4) consumer-owned autonomous vehicle” in its midsize lineup, which is due to enter production later next year.

Lucid-Gravity-interior
The interior of the Lucid Gravity (Source: Lucid)

Lucid will also use NVIDIA’s Industrial platform and Omniverse to cut costs, improve manufacturing efficiency, and ultimately, speed up deliveries.

Its new partnership with NVIDIA marks “a pivotal step,” Lucid said on Tuesday, as it embraces a new era of software-driven manufacturing.

Lucid-midsize-EV-L4
Lucid midsize electric SUV teaser image (Source: Lucid)

Lucid told Electrek last year that it plans to launch three midsize EVs on the platform, starting at around $50,000. The first will be a crossover SUV, followed by a more rugged version, while the third is rumoured to be a midsize sedan to go head-to-head with the Tesla Model 3.

We got our first glimpse of the crossover last September after Lucid teased the front end in a blurry photo. The latest gives us a closer look at what appears to be a Tesla Model 3-like silhoutte.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Trending