American automaker Tesla is currently trying to cope with production problems at its megafactories Gigafactory, located in Nevada. It is called the main reason for a three-month delay in deliveries of the new “budget” electric sedan Model 3. At the same time, as indicated by Western journalists, the company solves not only technical but also staffing problems. The portal Jalopnik found out that a few weeks ago, Tesla left the Director of manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles.
According to a profile on LinkedIn, John Wagner, joined the company in 2013, he worked as a head of engineering development Department of the batteries and at the time was responsible for the development of technologies for cars of the Model S, X and Model 3. He also served as interim Director of the division for the production of batteries, designer, specialist bodies, as well as doing automated modeling. To reach Wagner for comment, the journalists could not, and Tesla, in turn, they refused.
Several sources, however, say that Wagner left the company last month, however, the circumstances and the reason for his departure remain unclear. Now on his LinkedIn page States that he founded a new startup that is associated with the production of batteries, in Redwood, California, and gaining new members.
Journalists suggest that Wagner could start a new business even before the problems with the Gigafactory came out. Last week, the same CEO Elon Musk said that they do not fully understand the seriousness of the situation and was able to figure it out “only recently.” Anyway, Wagner was the head of one of the main links of the production chain of the automaker, who spoke last week with the statement that “the main limitation” in the production of new elektrosetey is to problems at its giant plant for the production of batteries. The automaker explained that the “combined complexity” create new batteries for the Model 3, as well as problems in the automation processes of production were the main reasons for slow production. It should be noted that Tesla and up to this point experienced difficulties with their megafactories. At the end of the second quarter the company reported “lower production” batteries for 100 kWh in June.
In July began the production of Model 3, but, unfortunately, the launch was not so smooth as could be desired. At the beginning of last month, the company announced that it has collected a total of 260 cars Model 3, which is much lower than the original production plan 1,500 units, to which Tesla promised by the end of the third quarter of 2017. The results of the investigation of the production recession, published last week by journalists Western publications, no specific answers were not given, but only gave rise to new questions about the state of California, the Assembly line of the plant. The situation was very serious. It got to the point that at least one of the suppliers of the production chain have not even received the necessary permits in time to equip the production facilities to create the necessary components.
In a letter to shareholders that Tesla sent out last Wednesday, the company explained that the main problems in the production chain makes up the Gigafactory, where faced with the problem of the production of batteries for the Model 3. In the letter, the company announced its “confidence in the fact that the production rate will increase significantly in the coming weeks” and that it “will be able to reach the production rates that significantly exceed the original specifications,” but added that to achieve the level of production of 5000 cars Model 3 in a week she will only be able to the period between the end of this year and by the end of March next.
The main goal of the company was to achieve the level of production of 10 000 cars Model 3 in a week, however, Tesla said that it will not work until after “capacity expansion” in the California factory.
Recall that Tesla has collected a total of about 450,000 pre-orders for the Model 3. Anyway, the company will have to fulfil their promises to customers.
Tesla left the Director of the division of manufacture of batteries
Nikolai Khizhnyak