Entire Supercharging Team Fired?

News yesterday is that the entire 500+ person word-wide SC team has been let go. That is alarming. Why would Elon sack the execs and all the employees of this important part of Tesla's business? Could Tesla be selling the SC network off to a third party? Opinions? Other theories?

 

[TomServo]

This thread will be fun to revisit a year from now. And see who was right?

 

[zroger73]

I'm going to guess that a year from now, nobody will care about this event and there will be many more fast chargers to use even if they don't have TESLA printed on them.

 

[texas_star_TM3]

I'm going to guess that a year from now, nobody will care about this event and there will be many more fast chargers to use even if they don't have TESLA printed on them.

a brief look at future sites for EvGO, EA, chargeplug tells you the opposite... and some of those "future non-Tesla sites" have been listed for YEARS and still aren't there. so yeah.... not holding my breath

 

[MP3Mike]

a brief look at future sites for EvGO, EA, chargeplug tells you the opposite... and some of those "future non-Tesla sites" have been listed for YEARS and still aren't there. so yeah.... not holding my breath

It seems like the majority of the players have essentially been in a holding pattern for the last year as states got their act together regarding NEVI funding. I do expect the pace of installs to pickup now that NEVI grants are going out. (Even where they didn't get a grant themselves for sites they wanted.)

 

[ken_neth]

and it was a 1am email firing rage

1:00 am in Texas, was it? What time in Kathmandu?

 

[Bad Horse]

Example #32 of why Musk needs to go if Tesla is to survive long term. He has clearly led the team to amazing outcomes, but was also much more stable a decade ago. More recently we've seen nothing but rash moves and missteps borne of psychological issues, if not also substance abuse.

A company of Tesla's size needs a steady hand who can also reliably navigate public and political issues. It needs an inspirational leader. Musk has consistently demonstrated inadequacy on all of these fronts.

Teslas are a wonderful machines, and their mission remains hugely important for society. But it's now clear that Musk is more of a hinderance than help toward that mission. His pay package should be rejected and he should be removed from any official capacity.

Agreed, and in general I have been off team Elon since he called the cave rescue guy a pedo with no context just cause he was pissed his idea got shot down by someone else.

He's an emotional stunted cry baby who can't stand when he doesn't get his way. I am fine with Tesla, but I vehemently hate elon and the supercharger crap just even more reason to back up my case.

 

[ken_neth]

a brief look at future sites for EvGO, EA, chargeplug tells you the opposite... and some of those "future non-Tesla sites" have been listed for YEARS and still aren't there. so yeah.... not holding my breath

I agree. In watching the development of the non Tesla charging sphere it looks to me that it has been in response to promised money mostly. For some (or many), the government funded charging infrastructure is peopled by the type who know how to write up a proposal for submission to funding entities, get their money and either under-perform or just flat out disappear into the world of defunct LLC's and other sorts of corporate apparition.

Similar to defense contracting: lots of money - lots of junk.

 

[ken_neth]

This thread will be fun to revisit a year from now. And see who was right?

Oh, that's easy. I am right, of course...

 

[MontyFloyd]

Sorry to repeat myself, but this is throwing the baby out with the bath water.

aka: DUMBSIZING, its an actual word.

 

[gearchruncher]

Elon has what, 58% of the voting stock? You'all go ahead with your plans to vote against him if it makes you feel better.

He has 20% and has complained that he is "uncomfortable" being motivated to do a good job unless he has at least 25%. He had more in the past but had to sell to buy Twitter. There's a reason he is very nervous about getting paid $50B only if the shareholders approve.

The fact that you think Musk has a controlling share in Tesla makes the rest of your opinions a lot less interesting.

 

[alexgr]

Hard to see how any OEM will be entertaining to license “FSD” from Tesla after this move.

Ford, Rivian, plenty others swallowed their pride and admitted that Tesla’s charging standard is superior and went into agreement with Tesla to make their vehicles NACS and Supercharger compatible. Tesla now ghosting their business partners - because Elon rage fired the entire team - is a cautious tale for more cooperation…. If I were Ford and my NACS roll out would be delayed because Tesla fired the entire team… probably the last project i would do with them.

Good you are not Ford.

 

[gearchruncher]

installed by contractors.

The contractors that got emails last week telling them that they aren't getting paid anytime soon, and please halt any work that hasn't started?

The chargers are made by robots

Just like how Elon successfully used robots to "make" the Model 3 back in 2018!

 

[zroger73]

I agree. In watching the development of the non Tesla charging sphere it looks to me that it has been in response to promised money mostly. For some (or many), the government funded charging infrastructure is peopled by the type who know how to write up a proposal for submission to funding entities, get their money and either under-perform or just flat out disappear into the world of defunct LLC's and other sorts of corporate apparition.

I believe in order to get paid, they have to actually install the equipment and maintain it in working order for a minimum of 5 years.

 

[MontyFloyd]

Agreed, and in general I have been off team Elon since he called the cave rescue guy a pedo with no context just cause he was pissed his idea got shot down by someone else.

He's an emotional stunted cry baby who can't stand when he doesn't get his way. I am fine with Tesla, but I vehemently hate elon and the supercharger crap just even more reason to back up my case.

What makes him so innovative, insightful, and ground breaking also makes him so emotional and... uncontrolled.

I do not follow Elon closely but it seems he is starting to loose control of himself with these random, extreme decisions.

He needs a new hobby/distraction that does not impact those around him, let alone billions of people.

 

[gearchruncher]

What makes him so innovative, insightful, and ground breaking also makes him so emotional and... uncontrolled.

This is highly debatable.

The COVID era broke Elon in 2020. He went anti-government, anti-Vaxx, right wing conspiracies, etc then. Since then is when we've really seen deeply irrational behavior. Sure, he tested the waters a bit before that, but now it's the dominant behavior.

What has Elon done that is groundbreaking since then? SpaceX already existed and was landing rockets, the CT and roadster had already been announced and Tesla was full in on self driving, Nuralink was going, the boring company was going...

We've seen, what, a man in a suit pretending to be a robot and being forced to buy Twitter after a bender? It's quite possible that he's no longer innovative, insightful, or ground breaking and just uncontrolled. People change.

 

[alexgr]

I believe in order to get paid, they have to actually install the equipment and maintain it in working order for a minimum of 5 years.

This is probably why I see tons of useless (maybe once a week, no more, I see a car charging by our local grocery store) charging stations around town collecting dust for 5 years.

 

[gglockner]

What makes him so innovative, insightful, and ground breaking also makes him so emotional and... uncontrolled.

I do not follow Elon closely but it seems he is starting to loose control of himself with these random, extreme decisions.

He needs a new hobby/distraction that does not impact those around him, let alone billions of people.

The best thing for Tesla would be to make Musk the Chief Creative Officer and find an adult to run the business. His ego won't allow that, though.

 

[Rocky_H]

Agreed, and in general I have been off team Elon since he called the cave rescue guy a pedo with no context just cause he was pissed his idea got shot down by someone else.

Wow. You got almost every part of that story wrong. Musk deserves about all the criticism he can get for many other reasons, but I do get tired of people getting about 90% of that particular story wrong and manipulated into aspects that are just blatantly false. Here are the corrections about that:

"the cave rescue guy"
Do you know how he was involved in the cave rescue? He wasn't. Not at all. Not a bit. He wasn't involved. He had no part in that at all. He was just an armchair quarterback commenting from the sidelines. He got on some talk show, only because he was a diver and had done cave exploring, so media wanted more TV coverage and found him to give opinions.

"called the cave rescue guy a pedo with no context"

There was PLENTY of context, that I noticed all of the media intentionally wants to leave out, because they REALLY don't want to admit that this guy STARTED IT.

"just cause he was pissed his idea got shot down by someone else."

It WASN'T by someone else. This person, Vern Unsworth, is who started it with this insult. Some of the SpaceX engineering team was constructing a small submarine-type of device (which the Thai prime minister was thanking them for) that might be used in the rescue operation. Unsworth said to Musk that he should EXACT QUOTE "stick his submarine where it hurts". Them's fightin' words, so yes, Musk immaturely replied to the insult with an insult back. Sure, it's immature, but somewhat understandable and not out of nowhere.

I just wish people would stop repeating that version of the story that is filled with lies. The truth is far less shocking. That guy insulted Musk, and Musk insulted him back. Big whoop. People want to make it sound like Musk went off and attacked a saint for no reason.

Evidence (which we should try to adhere to):

Elon Musk's lawyer asks cave explorer to apologize for insulting submarine

Vernon Unsworth, who assisted in the Thailand cave rescue, had deemed Musk’s miniature submarine a ‘PR stunt’

www.theguardian.com

You don't need a media conspiracy to tarnish Elon Musk's reputation, because Mus... | Hacker News

news.ycombinator.com

Elon Musk Wins in Defamation Suit by British Diver

The verdict in favor of the Tesla CEO capped a four-day trial in Los Angeles over insults Musk tweeted in 2018.

www.wired.com

Elon Musk did not defame British cave explorer, jury finds

Vernon Unsworth’s legal team had sought at least $190m in damages after Tesla CEO called him ‘pedo guy’

www.theguardian.com

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/7887513/vernon-unsworth-v-elon-musk/

Vernon Unsworth v. Elon Musk, No. 2:2018cv08048 - Document 165 (C.D. Cal. 2019)

Vernon Unsworth v. Elon Musk, No. 2:2018cv08048 - Document 165 (C.D. Cal. 2019) case opinion from the Central District of California US Federal District Court

law.justia.com

So can we just stick to criticizing Musk for real things that he has actually done? There's plenty.

 

[alexgr]

The best thing for Tesla would be to make Musk the Chief Creative Officer and find an adult to run the business. His ego won't allow that, though.

They found Gwynne Shotwell, so I would not be that categorically judgemental about Elon. After all, most major entrepreneurs, CEOs, and directors are exclusive examples of two-legged humanitarian catastrophe.

 

[ken_neth]

The fact that you think Musk has a controlling share in Tesla

Or I threw a test. Congrats on your response but does it bother you that no one before you seems to know that?

I believe in order to get paid, they have to actually install the equipment and maintain it in working order for a minimum of 5 years.

If so then none of he money has been expended as yet despite fraud charges being brought for non-operational or poorly chargers in place at locations which seem unable to maintain their business hours even as stated on the door.

There are variances within governmental contracts in order for contractors to overcome such limitations as you've suggested are in place. Basically such requirements are frequently rendered moot, useless to he public, by months of lawyering designed specifically to delay in order to pressure passage or approval of the contract.

The horror stories about non-Tesla charging are everywhere. Chargers that won't output at rated output, people having to drive from place to place within a city in order to piece together a full charge, and on and on. I would buy only an EV vehicle that either is a Tesla or whose purchase includes a firm and liberal ability to use the Tesla supercharger grid, and with that I'd want to look very carefully at the agreements between that manufacturer and Tesla for the level of usage of Tesla equipment allowed each purchaser, in their state, of the Tesla system. I mean just saying so would not suffice.