Tesla's Futuristic Flagship Loses Luster: Cybertruck Engineers Jump Ship Amid Woes
A series of high-profile departures from key engineering teams has dealt another blow to Tesla's beleaguered Cybertruck program, which was once hailed as the company's game-changing flagship. Siddhant Awasthi and Emmanuel Lamacchia, both rising stars at Tesla who oversaw critical aspects of the vehicle's development, have announced their exits in recent days.
Awasthi, who previously led engineering for the Cybertruck and most recently managed the Model 3, cited "exciting growth on the horizon" as the reason for his departure from Tesla after eight years. Lamacchia, meanwhile, revealed he was leaving after an equally lengthy tenure to manage Tesla's highly successful Model Y, with both engineers choosing not to comment further.
The Cybertruck's struggles have been well-documented since its 2023 launch, with numerous problems and recalls plaguing the vehicle. Despite initial fanfare, it has become a commercial failure for Tesla, with sales dwindling and demand weak. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has forced Tesla to recall nearly all 46,000-plus Cybertrucks sold due to an engineering flaw that caused exterior panels to detach while in motion.
The Cybertruck's woes have also taken on a new dimension, with the vehicle becoming a symbol of Elon Musk's right-wing views and his close ties to Donald Trump. The nickname "MAGAmobile" has stuck, reflecting the e-pickup's connection to the former president and Musk's own politics.
As Tesla struggles to regain momentum in its EV business, the company is facing financial headwinds. Despite sales increases, quarterly profits have declined for four consecutive quarters, with Cybertruck registrations plummeting 63 percent year-over-year in the third quarter. To boost sales, some Tesla dealers are offering discounts and renting out Cybertrucks.
However, despite ongoing challenges, Tesla remains optimistic about its future, with Musk setting ambitious goals for the company's AI-driven next chapter. A recent shareholder approval plan would incentivize Musk to grow Tesla's market value to $8.5 trillion by 2035, a lofty goal that will likely test the company's mettle in the years ahead.
A series of high-profile departures from key engineering teams has dealt another blow to Tesla's beleaguered Cybertruck program, which was once hailed as the company's game-changing flagship. Siddhant Awasthi and Emmanuel Lamacchia, both rising stars at Tesla who oversaw critical aspects of the vehicle's development, have announced their exits in recent days.
Awasthi, who previously led engineering for the Cybertruck and most recently managed the Model 3, cited "exciting growth on the horizon" as the reason for his departure from Tesla after eight years. Lamacchia, meanwhile, revealed he was leaving after an equally lengthy tenure to manage Tesla's highly successful Model Y, with both engineers choosing not to comment further.
The Cybertruck's struggles have been well-documented since its 2023 launch, with numerous problems and recalls plaguing the vehicle. Despite initial fanfare, it has become a commercial failure for Tesla, with sales dwindling and demand weak. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has forced Tesla to recall nearly all 46,000-plus Cybertrucks sold due to an engineering flaw that caused exterior panels to detach while in motion.
The Cybertruck's woes have also taken on a new dimension, with the vehicle becoming a symbol of Elon Musk's right-wing views and his close ties to Donald Trump. The nickname "MAGAmobile" has stuck, reflecting the e-pickup's connection to the former president and Musk's own politics.
As Tesla struggles to regain momentum in its EV business, the company is facing financial headwinds. Despite sales increases, quarterly profits have declined for four consecutive quarters, with Cybertruck registrations plummeting 63 percent year-over-year in the third quarter. To boost sales, some Tesla dealers are offering discounts and renting out Cybertrucks.
However, despite ongoing challenges, Tesla remains optimistic about its future, with Musk setting ambitious goals for the company's AI-driven next chapter. A recent shareholder approval plan would incentivize Musk to grow Tesla's market value to $8.5 trillion by 2035, a lofty goal that will likely test the company's mettle in the years ahead.
I feel like Elon Musk is putting too much pressure on himself and his team to deliver the Cybertruck. It's like they're trying to make it work instead of just accepting that it might not be a game-changer after all 
. The fact that two high-profile engineers are leaving mid-development is a big deal, and I'm surprised they didn't get out sooner 
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. And let's be real, the whole "MAGAmobile" thing is getting old – it's time for Tesla to move on from that association 
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. That's just crazy talk 
. Can't they just focus on making better cars and services instead of trying to be everything to everyone? 
i mean, it was like, super hyped when it came out and now it's just gathering dust i feel bad for the engineers who are leaving, they must be so frustrated 
especially sidhant awasthi, 8 years is a lot of time to invest in something that's not even selling well 
ugh, and Elon musk is getting roasted again lol but seriously, can we talk about how tesla needs to get its act together? 
sidhant and emanuel were like the rockstars of tesla lol they left and now it's like cybertruck is just dying on the vine 
anyway, it'll be interesting to see how tesla bounces back from these losses 
my friend's cousin works at a tesla dealership and they're having to offer crazy discounts just to get rid of all those cybertrucks 
. Those engineers leaving ain't no surprise, 'cause they were probably feeling stuck and wanted to get outta there before the whole thing imploded. It's a tough lesson to learn, but sometimes you gotta prioritize your own growth and well-being over something that's not serving you anymore.
...I'd get frustrated and wanna quit. But then I took a step back, re-evaluated what was going on, and realized I was putting too much pressure on myself. It's okay to acknowledge when something's not working out and make a change. It's the first step towards finding something better 
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. Maybe it's time for them to take a hard look at what went wrong and make some serious changes before it's too late 
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It's like Elon Musk thought he could just magic up a revolutionary vehicle with no real-world testing and problem-solving. Newsflash, Elon: even the best engineers need some TLC (and a decent budget) to make something work 
I'm so over the Cybertruck drama right now! First of all, Siddhant Awasthi and Emmanuel Lamacchia just bailed on Tesla after being part of the team for 8+ years? That's like a major blow to their engineering credibility. And can we talk about how the Cybertruck is just getting more and more toxic? 
I mean, who names a car after MAGA and expects it to be cool again? The nickname is straight up cringeworthy! 
. I mean, Siddhant and Emmanuel were key players in that program, so it's a significant loss for Tesla. 8 years of Awasthi's leadership alone is no joke 
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. Not as sleek or futuristic as people expected, and now this. And those recalls? 
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. And let's not forget about the financials