Tesla Denies Gigafactory Delays, Axes 200 In China
Tesla may be denying delays in the construction of its Gigafactory, but the automaker’s not holding back on firing 200 employees in China due to poor sales.
Autoblog reports the delay is due to a change in design plans for the $5-billion battery factory, with an online job posting by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers mentioning the delay in construction. Tesla representative Alexis Georgeson denied the delay claims, while a rep for IBEW Local 401 declined to confirm or deny due to non-disclosure.
Meanwhile, AutoGuide says Tesla is laying off 30 percent of its employees in China, amounting to between 180 and 200 jobs. The automaker has had trouble as of late selling its wares in the emerging market, having moved 32,733 units in 2014 — short of the 35,000-unit, then 33,000-unit, sales target set for the year — and only 120 vehicles in January 2015. The company has not confirmed the report thus far.
Comments
Join the conversation
The biggest problem with TESLA is the lack of hybrid technology. China lacks an infrastructure to charge EV and it's going to take years for the government to install charging stalls in enough places to make them feasable - and I'll tell you right now that TESLA isn't going to collect the lion's share of profit - not if the PRC gov has anything to say about it. Then there's the sky-high prices. Though Tesla fanboys wanna lowball the price - this thing (P85D) costs $135,000 and comes with less than either of my SRT - when you adjust for the acceleration. Then again,adding twin turbos would only cost $14,000 and I'd still be $45,000 cheaper than a P85d with less tech features and comfort. They took way too long to bring the Model X to market. They could have put out the RWD model of the Model X and avoided the problems they are having now - and then put out the AWD Model S and Model X later. All Ford, Chrysler and GM need to do is build plug-in hybrid versions of the Taurus, Dodge Charger (no pun intended) and the Impala and TESLA WILL BE DEAD.
I find the argument about infrastructure absurd now I have seen how easy it is to sort out. In Denmark they are quite simply installing recharge station at carparks and on the streets. This involves digging a small hole and jamming a bollard into it, having wired it to the mains which runs along the pavement. I expect each power point takes at most four hours to install. It´s not a big deal. I think the Danes are simply lettig private firms get access to a paving stone and let them put in a power point at their own expense. The revenue then comes from re-selling the electricity. This really ought not to be a big deal. I am no free market fan boy but here I see that a little nudge from local government and a few simple rules is all that´s needed to let private players into the market for selling power to cars. Up to now I had thought infrastructure meant huge lumps like petrol stations. No, it´s a metal box weighing 10 kilos and a blob of concrete.
Standard SOP at Tesla seems to be confirm as little as possible, leave lots of doubt, and make vague (grandiose) statements.
had dinner with some Chinese factory owners Sunday night, and we discussed Tesla. They tell me the reason Tesla isn't doing well is not the infrastructure, not the price, not the lack of dealers, etc. They say it's simply the styling isn't "bling" enough. They said it needs to look more like a supercar, they even mentioned gullwing doors. I'm not sure whether or not they know the Model X will have them, but my guess is that will be sufficiently bling for the Chinese consumer and the X, whenever it is finally made, will do better there.