Tesla’s Cybertruck Leader Exits Following High-Profile Departures

The head of Tesla’s Cybertruck division, Siddhant Awasthi, is leaving after more than eight years, marking another exit in a string of notable departures affecting the electric vehicle manufacturer.

Awasthi announced his departure late Sunday. He initially joined Tesla as an intern but rose to lead the Cybertruck division, overseeing everything from engineering to production. Recently, he also became involved with the Model 3 program.

On his LinkedIn profile, Awasthi detailed his role in shaping product strategy, enhancing quality, and managing the supply chain.

Tesla recently reported record deliveries in the third quarter, as many customers in the U.S. rushed to take advantage of a $7,500 tax credit for electric vehicle purchases. However, analysts are predicting a significant drop in sales for the fourth quarter as this incentive expired on September 30.

To counteract this potential slump, Tesla has been offering substantial discounts on its vehicles in recent months.

In addition to Awasthi, the company has seen several executives leave. Troy Jones, who was in charge of North American sales for 15 years, resigned in July, just weeks after Musk’s close aide, Omead Afshar, departed. During the summer, Tesla also lost Jenna Ferrua, the head of human resources for North America, and Milan Kovac, the top AI executive.

Increased competition in the electric vehicle market, particularly from Chinese manufacturers like BYD, has put pressure on Tesla. Surprisingly, BYD has overtaken Tesla to become the world’s largest EV producer, with sales exceeding $100 billion last year, a reality Musk had previously dismissed.

Musk’s brief tenure at the White House’s cost-cutting agency raised eyebrows and seems to have resulted in brand damage across his ventures. Recently, protests against Tesla took place, with demonstrators vandalizing cars and showrooms.

While some issues have been ignored by Tesla’s leadership, they maintain optimism regarding the company’s advancements in autonomous driving technology and humanoid robotics. Last week, shareholders approved an unprecedented $1 trillion pay package for Musk, who had threatened to leave the company if he didn’t receive it. This package is unique in its size and is tied to achieving specific performance benchmarks over the next decade.