Tesla rehiring certain Supercharger team members after unexpected dissolution
What's the story
Tesla has initiated the process of rehiring some of the nearly 500 workers of its Supercharging team, who were let go last month by CEO Elon Musk. This move follows Musk's surprising decision to dissolve the team, which had a significant role in Tesla's product lineup. Among those reinstated is Max de Zegher, North America's director of charging. The exact number of rehired employees remains unknown as neither Musk nor de Zegher have provided any comments on this matter.
Backtrack
Musk reverses cost-cutting decision amid backlash
This isn't the first time Musk has reversed a cost-cutting decision. In 2019, he planned to close most Tesla shops and shift sales online, but backtracked 10 days later when landlords refused to terminate the company's leases. Following recent layoffs backlash, Musk agreed last week to spend "well over" $500 million on expanding Tesla's network this year. This commitment came shortly after his announcement that Tesla would reduce its charger installation rate, and concentrate more on existing locations.
Gratitude
Tesla thanks charging site hosts
The @TeslaCharging account on X, a social media platform owned by Musk, expressed gratitude to charging site hosts, as well as suppliers for their patience during Tesla's internal restructuring on May 10. De Zegher reposted this message. This pattern of layoffs followed by rehiring is not new for Musk. A similar situation occurred at X in late 2022 when, after laying off approximately half of the company's workforce, dozens of employees were urged to return.
Information
Superchargers debuted in 2012
Tesla's first Superchargers were out in September 2012, shortly after the production commencement of the Model S sedan. As of now, the firm has over 6,200 stations across the world.