Following several automakers integrating Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) systems into production of electric vehicles, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has made sudden layoffs to the team overseeing the system, reports Reuters.
Rebecca Tinucci, head of Tesla’s Supercharger network, has been laid off, along with most if not all the staff members working under her.
“As contractors for the Supercharger network, my team woke up to a sharp kick in the pants this morning,” said Andres Pinter, co-CEO of Bullet EV Charging Solutions.
Several automakers including Ford and General Motors have all agreed upon integrating NACS connectors with their EVs, allowing drivers of their vehicles to utilize Tesla Superchargers. According to statements from GM and Ford, neither automaker intends on altering its plans to produce EVs compatible with Tesla charging stations.
Following the reports of staff layoffs, Musk took to social media, where he said plans still exist to expand the Supercharger network, but at a slower pace and with more focus on improving existing locations.
Having already received federal funding through the government’s NEVI program, Pinter expressed doubt that Musk would be permanently foregoing the EV charging segment of his business. Some industry executive and analysts have theorized whether the staff layoffs are a sign of a smaller, less expensive team being implemented to manage the charger network.
“Tesla is looking to right size its (capital spending) and operating expenses over the next couple of years as the company is in a slower growth phase,” explained Morningstar analyst Seth Goldstein.
