Tesla recently announced layoffs within its Supercharger network staff, leading to concerns about the future growth and maintenance of this critical EV infrastructure. CEO Elon Musk confirmed that despite these layoffs, Tesla still intends to expand the Supercharger network, albeit at a slower pace, focusing on existing site expansion and maintaining uptime. General Motors is still aiming to provide customers with access to the Tesla Supercharger network in the near future, although The General has yet to provide specific timing.
According to a report from The Information, the layoffs included the senior director of charging infrastructure and potentially up to 500 team members. The layoffs could signal a significant shift in Tesla’s operational priorities.
This development has significant implications for the EV industry, particularly companies like GM that are poised to leverage Tesla’s expansive charging network. GM, along with several other major automakers, previously secured agreements with Tesla to allow their vehicles access to the Supercharger network. The agreement was part of a broader move to standardize EV charging under the North American Charging Standard (NACS), a system that Tesla was instrumental in developing. GM aims to adopt the NACS charge type in all new EVs by 2025.
Tesla still plans to grow the Supercharger network, just at a slower pace for new locations and more focus on 100% uptime and expansion of existing locations
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 30, 2024
However, Tesla’s layoffs could undermine the longterm reliability and expansion of the network, which is currently the largest public fast-charge network in the U.S. and considered the most reliable as well. This network is crucial as it provides GM and other automakers the infrastructure needed to support their EV models without having to build out their own networks at the same vast scale. The delay in expansion and potential decrease in maintenance could affect consumer confidence in the accessibility and reliability of EV charging facilities, which is vital for the adoption of electric vehicles.
GM EV owners currently have access to 134,000 electric-vehicle chargers through the Ultium Charge 360 charging ecosystem. In addition, GM has secured multiple agreements with third-party charging networks for comprehensive coverage.
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Comments
Probably just a power play to instill fear to force investment by other companies and the government.
This should be a good opportunity for IONNA the group GM is apart of to scoop up sone much needed talent.
I wouldn’t be surprised to read an article about it here in the next few weeks. If there is one thing I have to say with GM, for all the troubles they had in EVs lately and their history of questionable business decisions, atleast they aren’t dragging their feet in EV investment. They have been taking up Teslas resources. Reminds me of the saying “If you can’t beat em, copy em.”
And so … it begins.
There has been an awful lot of news about layoffs at both Tesla and Rivian. But not legacy automakers. Could it be that EV automakers don’t have ICEs and Hybrids to fall back on like the legacy automakers do?
If I am any other Charging network company I am hiring these people as quickly as possible.