Industry insiders and analysts revealed on Tuesday that Elon Musk’s sudden decision to lay off employees responsible for managing Tesla’s electric vehicle charging business caught automakers by surprise.
This could potentially impact their plans to integrate new EVs with the Tesla Supercharger network.
Despite the upheaval, major automakers like General Motors and Ford, who had previously struck agreements to grant their customers access to the Supercharger network, stated that they are maintaining their current strategies for now.
U.S. President Joe Biden commended Tesla’s move to open its network to rival EV manufacturers, which allowed the company to qualify for federal subsidies aimed at expanding the reach of its North American Charging Standard (NACS) system.
The dismissal of Rebecca Tinucci, the head of the Supercharger business, along with much or all of the team responsible for operating and maintaining the system, left industry officials and Tesla suppliers uncertain about the future direction.
Tesla did not provide any response to requests for clarification on the matter. Musk later indicated that Tesla still intends to grow the Supercharger network but at a slower pace, prioritizing 100% uptime and expansion of existing locations.
Andres Pinter, co-CEO of Bullet EV Charging Solutions, a supplier to the network, expressed concern, stating, “As contractors for the Supercharger network, my team woke up to a sudden shake-up this morning.”
He speculated, “There’s no way Mr. Musk would walk away from effectively free money. It may be possible Mr. Musk will reconstitute the EV charger team in a more efficient manner.”
GM and Ford reassured that they are sticking to their plans to equip their EVs with connectors allowing drivers of Chevrolet, Cadillac, or Ford brand EVs to recharge at Tesla stations.
While some industry insiders suggested that Musk’s move might be aimed at streamlining operations, Musk himself emphasized his focus on AI, robotics, and autonomous vehicles during a recent call with analysts.
