As much as I’d like to join the rest of the autoblogosphere and simply repeat the news that Tesla’s about to terminate 100 employees and maybe their CEO (named after an Isaac Asimov character) and then say “I told you so,” I can’t. As far as I can tell, it’s nothing but a rumor. I’ve managed to trace back the report to Jalopnik, that links to a tiny item on the affiliated Valleywag website. “In our inbox, rumor of a staggering blow to one of Silicon Valley’s new growth industries: Tesla Motors, a tipster tells us, is laying off 100 people, about half of its staff. CEO Ze’ev Drori is also leaving, he claims.” The fact that Tesla hasn’t moved to squash this report, which has already circled the globe, shows that either it’s true or untrue (and someone at Tesla really needs to set a Google alert). I’ll go out on a limb and call bullshit. As long as Tesla has such a high media profile, this PR scam conmpany has a lot more mileage left in it. For which the Lord has made us truly grateful.
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Why would Tesla lay off half it’s staff and toss teh CEO to the curb right now? They haven’t even caught up with the initial deposits and probably wont for a year or so at the rate they are building them. Did people cancel their existing orders because of the economy?
The only thing I could think is the credit and banking crisis killed money they were dependent on to stay alive. In that case Tesla would be no more and I think that would be pretty big news the way the media swoons over them. Maybe it’s true I never though Tesla was going to survive. Good riddence, I already have to deal with people thinking my sons middle name was because of this stupid car company.
It would be odd, seeing as how Tesla’s been on a bit of a hiring and spending spree lately. Also theres no telling how much an IPO could dump into Elon’s bank account raise for Tesla’s next project from the patient, dilligent, and thorough researchers on Wall st. A mass firing might tip them off that something was amiss.
I meant to post this comment back when you had the “60 Minutes” interview with Telsa’s Chairman Elon Musk that compared a silicon valley car company to old Detroit car company.
Remember how creepy Elon Musk seemed in that interview? It struck me that I’ve seen him before. Then I remembered where! He is really Aleksey Vayner, the guy who has the distinction of having the worst video resume ever. Did you ever see it? “Impossible Is Nothing“, where he claims to be a super achiever in everything he does.
Watch the resume, then watch the interview, and tell me that isn’t the same guy.
So… has anyone ever seen Elon and Aleksey in the same room together? :-)
Jalopnik is running an update that “restructuring” has been confirmed by Tesla, due to a “difficult nine months”. But Tesla says the numbers of layoffs reported is “exaggerated”.
Autoblog says that Drori is moving to vicechairman and Musk is picking up CEO.
Some layoffs seem to be confirmed.
Auntie Em, Auntie Em…not Tesla too?
Economics will get you my pretty and your little electric car too!
Bunter
Whoop dee doo, I haven’t been impressed by this car since day one. If they do tank I’ll enjoy the evil smug sense of self satisfaction I get whenever some overly ambitious green campaign goes teats up.
Yes, I’m a bad, bad man.
Fucking Valleywag.