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First Post
27-06-2025
- Automotive
- First Post
Elon Musk fires one of his confidants at Tesla. Who is Omead Afshar?
Tech billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has fired one of his trusted aides, Omead Afshar. Promoted less than a year ago, Afshar served as the president for manufacturing and operations at the car company. He joined Tesla in 2017 and quickly gained Elon Musk's trust. Notably, he has been fired from his role at a time when Tesla is seeing slumping demand in Europe and North America read more Tech billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has fired one of his close aides, Omead Afshar. Afshar, who was promoted less than a year ago, served as the president for manufacturing and operations at the car company. He joined Tesla in 2017 and soon became one of Musk's most trusted team members. He was closely involved in key projects, including the Texas Gigafactory. Notably, his exit is the most recent in a series of top-level departures from Tesla in the past few weeks. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But who is Omead Afshar? Why was he fired? Let's take a look: Who is Omead Afshar? Afshar is an American citizen born to Iranian parents. He studied Biomedical Engineering with a focus on Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Irvine. He completed his graduation in 2009 and began his career as a ski instructor at Mammoth Mountain in California, according to International Business Times UK. Afshar joined Tesla in 2017 as a project manager in the Office of the CEO. He quickly aligned himself with Elon Musk's plans and earned the billionaire's trust, which helped him move up the ranks within the company. One of his major contributions at Tesla was leading the development of the massive 10-million-square-foot Gigafactory in Texas, a key project that boosted Tesla's growth and made Afshar as an important figure in the company's leadership. In 2022, he was named Vice President at SpaceX. Notably, his exit is the most recent in a series of top-level departures from Tesla in the past few weeks. Reuters/File Photo Afshar also played a part in Musk's takeover of Twitter and its transformation into X. He was said to have helped reduce spending at the company, supporting Musk's sharp and effective approach to restructuring, the report said. On Monday, Afshar shared on X that the robotaxi event in Austin was an 'absolutely historic day for Tesla' and added: 'Thank you, Elon, for pushing us all!' Over the years, Afshar has spoken about working long hours and holidays with Musk, especially during the push to ramp up production of the Model 3 in 2018. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In a post from March, he recalled 'living in the factory at this time, truly 24/7.' Why was he fired? Afshar was fired from his role at a time when Tesla is facing falling demand in Europe and North America . Reports say buyers are now choosing more affordable options offered by rival companies, while Tesla's current models have started to look outdated. He quickly aligned himself with Elon Musk's plans and earned the billionaire's trust. Reuters/File Photo People familiar with Tesla's operations told Reuters that Afshar had taken on greater responsibility earlier this year while Musk focused on political matters in Washington. This year, Musk was a part of US President Donald Trump's cost-cutting campaign. Many investors and analysts believe this shift in focus took Musk's attention away from Tesla and may have put off some potential customers. Tesla's main business, making cars, is going through one of its toughest periods in recent years. Sales have dropped across several markets, with growing competition, an ageing product line, and criticism of Musk's links to Trump all contributing to the decline. In the first quarter of this year, Tesla's global vehicle deliveries dropped by 13%, and profits fell by 71%. The downward trend seems to be continuing. Tesla's sales in the European Union were down 40% in May, The Wall Street Journal reported. Data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association, shared on Wednesday, showed that buyers are switching to local brands and lower-cost Chinese electric cars. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD CNBC reported that Tesla's stock is down 19% this year, performing worse than the Nasdaq and many other top tech firms. On Sunday, Tesla rolled out self-driving taxis in Austin, Texas. But analysts have raised concerns that plans to expand into more cities could run into trouble due to questions over safety and the current state of the technology. Afshar's exit is part of a broader shake-up that has seen many senior staff leave Tesla over the past 14 months. These changes come as the company cuts thousands of jobs and shifts its focus towards artificial intelligence, self-driving systems, and robotics. Those who have left recently include top figures in robotics, battery development, and public policy. Milan Kovac, head of the Optimus robot team, announced his exit this month. Battery chief Vineet Mehta left in May.
The Sun
27-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Top Tesla exec and Musk confidant leaves company
LOS ANGELES: Tesla executive and longtime Elon Musk confidant Omead Afshar has left the electric-vehicle maker, three people familiar with the matter said on Thursday, another senior departure as the company grapples with slowing global demand. Afshar was part of the CEO's office and since last year had overseen sales and manufacturing in Europe and North America. After joining Tesla in 2017, he quickly became one of Musk's trusted lieutenants, playing a central role in major projects like the Texas Gigafactory. The sources, who declined to be identified, had no details on the circumstances of his exit or the reason behind it. Afshar posted about Tesla on X early this week, and his profiles on X and LinkedIn still showed his Tesla role as current on Wednesday. Afshar departed amid slumping demand in Europe and North America for Tesla's aging vehicle line-up while rivals have offered more affordable alternatives. Two people familiar with Tesla's operations said Afshar was among the executives who took on bigger roles this year when Musk was focused on Washington. Musk led President Donald Trump's government cost-cutting drive this year, and many investors and analysts worried that distracted Musk from Tesla and alienated some potential buyers. Former mid-level Tesla sales manager Matthew LaBrot, who was recently fired for public criticism of Musk, said Afshar was a 'supporting character' closely tied to Musk until he rose to head sales and manufacturing in North America and Europe. LaBrot said there was significant pressure internally to deal with the sales declines, which have been particularly severe in Europe. Afshar's departure was reported earlier by Bloomberg News, which also reported that North America HR director Jenna Ferrua had exited the company. Two of the three people who confirmed Afshar's departure to Reuters also said Ferrua had left. One of those people said Afshar and Ferrua were close colleagues, so it was not surprising that both left around the same time. Another of the people said Ferrua has served as a direct HR adviser to Afshar. The departure caps a series of executive exits over the past 14 months, driven by company-wide restructuring as Tesla slashed thousands of jobs and shifted its focus to AI-powered self-driving technology and robotics. The departures included leaders in robots, batteries and public policy. The head of Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot team Milan Kovac, announced he was leaving this month, and top battery executive Vineet Mehta did so in May. Chief battery engineer Drew Baglino, Rebecca Tinucci, who led the supercharging division, and global public policy head Rohan Patel left in spring 2024. Musk ended his Washington stint in late May, reassuring some investors concerned about brand damage. But Tesla's shares remain down about 19% for the year, after an initial rise on optimism that Trump's victory would clear the regulatory path for robotaxis. On Sunday, Tesla deployed self-driving taxis in Austin, Texas. Some analysts have warned that the company's plan to expand to other cities later this year could face hurdles, due to concerns about safety and the technology. On Monday, Afshar posted on X that the Austin robotaxi debut was an 'absolutely historic day for Tesla,' adding: 'Thank you, Elon, for pushing us all!' In the past, Afshar posted about spending holidays and late nights with Musk, particularly when Tesla was ramping up production of the mass-market Model 3 sedan in 2018. He reflected in a March post about 'living in the factory at this time, truly 24/7.' – Reuters
The Hindu
27-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Hindu
Top Tesla executive, an Elon Musk confidant, leaves the company
Tesla executive and longtime Elon Musk confidant Omead Afshar has left the electric-vehicle maker, three people familiar with the matter said on Thursday, another senior departure as the company grapples with slowing global demand. Afshar was part of the CEO's office and since last year had overseen sales and manufacturing in Europe and North America. After joining Tesla in 2017, he quickly became one of Musk's trusted lieutenants, playing a central role in major projects like the Texas Gigafactory. The sources, who declined to be identified, had no details on the circumstances of his exit or the reason behind it. Afshar posted about Tesla on X early this week, and his profiles on X and LinkedIn still showed his Tesla role as current on Wednesday. Afshar departed amid slumping demand in Europe and North America for Tesla's aging vehicle line-up while rivals have offered more affordable alternatives. Two people familiar with Tesla's operations said Afshar was among the executives who took on bigger roles this year when Musk was focused on Washington. Musk led President Donald Trump's government cost-cutting drive this year, and many investors and analysts worried that distracted Musk from Tesla and alienated some potential buyers. Former mid-level Tesla sales manager Matthew LaBrot, who was recently fired for public criticism of Musk, said Afshar was a "supporting character" closely tied to Musk until he rose to head sales and manufacturing in North America and Europe. LaBrot said there was significant pressure internally to deal with the sales declines, which have been particularly severe in Europe. Afshar's departure was reported earlier by Bloomberg News, which also reported that North America HR Director Jenna Ferrua had exited the company. Two of the three people who confirmed Afshar's departure to Reuters also said Ferrua had left. One of those people said Afshar and Ferrua were close colleagues, so it was not surprising that both left around the same time. Another of the people said Ferrua has served as a direct HR adviser to Afshar. The departure caps a series of executive exits over the past 14 months, driven by company-wide restructuring as Tesla slashed thousands of jobs and shifted its focus to AI-powered self-driving technology and robotics. The departures included leaders in robots, batteries and public policy. The head of Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot team, Milan Kovac, announced he was leaving this month, and top battery executive Vineet Mehta did so in May. Chief battery engineer Drew Baglino, Rebecca Tinucci, who led the supercharging division, and global public policy head Rohan Patel left in spring 2024. Musk ended his Washington stint in late May, reassuring some investors concerned about brand damage. But Tesla's shares remain down about 19% for the year, after an initial rise on optimism that Trump's victory would clear the regulatory path for robotaxis. On Sunday, Tesla deployed self-driving taxis in Austin, Texas. Some analysts have warned that the company's plan to expand to other cities later this year could face hurdles, due to concerns about safety and the technology. On Monday, Afshar posted on X that the Austin robotaxi debut was an "absolutely historic day for Tesla," adding: "Thank you, Elon, for pushing us all!" In the past, Afshar posted about spending holidays and late nights with Musk, particularly when Tesla was ramping up production of the mass-market Model 3 sedan in 2018. He reflected in a March post about "living in the factory at this time, truly 24/7."
Straits Times
26-06-2025
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Top Tesla executive, an Elon Musk confidant, leaves the company, sources say
The latest departure caps a series of executive exits over the past 14 months in Tesla. PHOTO: REUTERS Tesla executive and longtime Elon Musk confidant Omead Afshar has left the electric-vehicle maker, three people familiar with the matter said on June 26, another senior departure as the company grapples with slowing global demand. Mr Afshar was part of the CEO's office and since last year had overseen sales and manufacturing in Europe and North America. After joining Tesla in 2017, he quickly became one of Mr Musk's trusted lieutenants, playing a central role in major projects like the Texas Gigafactory. The sources, who declined to be identified, had no details on the circumstances of his exit or the reason behind it. Mr Afshar posted about Tesla on X early this week, and his profiles on X and LinkedIn still showed his Tesla role as current on June 25. Mr Afshar departed amid slumping demand in Europe and North America for Tesla's ageing vehicle line-up while rivals have offered more affordable alternatives. Two people familiar with Tesla's operations said Mr Afshar was among the executives who took on bigger roles this year when Mr Musk was focused on Washington. Mr Musk led President Donald Trump's government cost-cutting drive this year, and many investors and analysts worried that distracted Mr Musk from Tesla and alienated some potential buyers. Former mid-level Tesla sales manager Matthew LaBrot, who was recently fired for public criticism of Mr Musk, said Mr Afshar was a 'supporting character' closely tied to Mr Musk until he rose to head sales and manufacturing in North America and Europe. Mr LaBrot said there was significant pressure internally to deal with the sales declines, which have been particularly severe in Europe. Mr Afshar's departure was reported earlier by Bloomberg News, which also reported that North America HR Director Jenna Ferrua had exited the company. Two of the three people who confirmed Mr Afshar's departure to Reuters also said Ms Ferrua had left. One of those people said Mr Afshar and Ms Ferrua were close colleagues, so it was not surprising that both left around the same time. Another of the people said Ms Ferrua has served as a direct HR adviser to Mr Afshar. The departure caps a series of executive exits over the past 14 months, driven by restructuring across the company as Tesla slashed thousands of jobs and shifted its focus to AI-powered self-driving technology and robotics. The departures included leaders in robots, batteries and public policy. The head of Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot team, Mr Milan Kovac, announced he was leaving this month, and top battery executive Vineet Mehta did so in May. Chief battery engineer Drew Baglino, Ms Rebecca Tinucci, who led the supercharging division, and global public policy head Rohan Patel left in spring 2024. Mr Musk ended his Washington stint in late May, reassuring some investors concerned about brand damage. But Tesla's shares remain down about 19 per cent for the year, after an initial rise on optimism that Mr Trump's victory would clear the regulatory path for robotaxis. On June 22, Tesla deployed self-driving taxis in Austin, Texas. Some analysts have warned that the company's plan to expand to other cities later this year could face hurdles, due to concerns about safety and the technology. On June 23, Mr Afshar posted on X that the Austin robotaxi debut was an 'absolutely historic day for Tesla', adding: 'Thank you, Elon, for pushing us all!' In the past, Mr Afshar posted about spending holidays and late nights with Mr Musk, particularly when Tesla was ramping up production of the mass-market Model 3 sedan in 2018. He reflected in a March post about 'living in the factory at this time, truly 24/7.' REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Tesla Is Trying to Build an Ecological Paradise. Too Bad It Literally Stinks.
Elon Musk recently announced plans to give back to the environment surrounding his Texas Gigafactory. We've actually known about this 'sanctuary' for quite some time, as Musk promised to make an equally significant environmental investment when he was pitching Giga Texas. The property is located on the outskirts of Austin near the Austin Bergstrom International Airport—a stone's throw away from the Circuit of The Americas F1 track—and the surrounding area is barren, with few amenities to speak of. Along with bolstering the surrounding wildlife, Musk's plan includes amenities for those in the area like hike and bike trails, a riverfront boardwalk, fishing areas, and green space. The proposal also mentions a sports complex with soccer fields, baseball fields, and tennis courts. All great additions to any community, but as a born-and-raised Austinite who regularly drives by the Tesla facilities on the way to the race track, it sounds to me like nothing more than a half-baked attempt to bring the downtown amenities to the outskirts of Austin. A brief look through Tesla's presentation makes its plans to support the surrounding ecosystem almost look like a slam dunk—not only benefiting the land, but also the estimated 20,000 homes in its vicinity. The factory is flanked by the Colorado River, making it a great candidate for riverfront hike and bike trails that connect to local parks. However, ask any local, and they'll tell you the reality is anything but sunshine and rainbows. A quick look at Google Maps shows that the South Austin Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant is just across the river from Giga Texas. For context, these facilities clean up millions of gallons of 'used' water that we produce before emptying it back out into the environment. That might sound all well and good (and it is), but it is not going to smell well and good at all. The other objectionable feature of Giga Texas is its proximity to Highway 130—the fastest highway in America, with an 85 mph speed limit and constant road noise. It was made to bypass Interstate 35 (which all Austinites avoid like the plague). Despite using big words like 'biodiversity' and 'revegetation,' Tesla has a lot of work to do when it comes to supercharging the ecosystems near the Gigafactory. A Wall Street Journal article from last year shows that the factory has already racked up significant pollution violations. The rollout for the Model Y (2022) was a focal point for Giga Texas, as there was no leeway for damaged equipment to be offline while waiting for repair. This meant that a lot of 'broken' equipment remained operational to fulfill manufacturing numbers, leading to significant environmental impact on the surrounding area. The WSJ article mentioned an incident from 2022 in which one of the doors on the 30-foot-tall furnaces—used to melt aluminum for casting car components—stopped closing correctly. Even as car production ramped up, the door to the 1,200-degree oven remained ajar. Interviews with ex-employees demonstrated that the broken seal forced the oven to use considerably more fuel and emit higher pollution levels from the smokestacks. That's not to mention the amount of heat being expelled into the work area, which was said to reach up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. For context, the Wall Street Journal reported that Austin Water regulators did notify Tesla that the company had violated its permit after discharging 9,000 gallons of wastewater (which had not been properly treated) into the Colorado River. And if we thought the infractions in Austin were egregious, let's not forget about some of Musk's other companies. Like, for example, SpaceX, which was recently fined $150,000 for dumping 262,000 gallons of wastewater into Texas wetlands without proper permission. We shouldn't forget that the mile-long Giga Factory—and Tesla at large, for that matter—still faces significant financial challenges. The American brand allegedly spent over $900 million developing the Cybertruck, and nearly $5 billion on getting Giga Texas up and running. To make matters worse, Electrek recently reported that Tesla is sitting on over $200 million of Cybertruck inventory that hasn't been sold. The reasoning? The company is just flat out struggling to sell the vehicles. This is likely why we've recently seen new Cybertruck promotions, including improved financing and free supercharging for life. Amidst less-than-spectacular times for Musk and Tesla, it remains to be seen how else the brand will make up the Cybertruck's shortcomings. You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
