 "Meet Siddhant Awasthi, Tesla’s Cybertruck chief who has now resigned")
The ‘American dream’ was never only about getting rich, but about living life in a way you long to. Those who are driven by curiosity, holding big dreams in their eyes, can climb to any rank and become someone like ‘Siddhant Awasthi.’
The Indian engineer rose from an intern to Tesla’s Cybertruck chief, and that too, all before turning 30.
Awasthi, who was born in India, found a dream project straight out in Silicon Valley. He spent over eight years at Tesla, and in those years, he ascended to lead one of its boldest and most-watched projects, the Cybertruck.
From the engineering phase to large-scale production, Awasthi oversaw the Cybertruck programme. According to his LinkedIn profile, the oversight also included leading efforts in product strategy, quality enhancements, and supply chain management.
However, on Monday, the engineer announced his exit in a LinkedIn post, stating that he had made one of the hardest decisions of his life to leave Tesla after an incredible run.
It is pertinent to note that his departure comes at a time when Tesla is already facing a rough financial path, with ongoing scrutiny of its Cybertruck.
So, how did Awasthi’s journey pan out? What does his exit from Tesla mean?
Let’s deep-dive.
From intern to Cybertruck boss: Awasthi’s journey at Tesla
The Indian engineer proved that big dreams have no boundaries. From debugging code to directing a futuristic pickup, Awasthi’s outstanding career trajectory speaks for itself.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsHis relentless hard work took him from Bengaluru to Elon Musk’s boardroom, and not to forget, it all started with just an internship.
As an intern, he quickly proved his technical and leadership skills. He then rose to become a project engineer, and later held the position of a program manager.
Playing a vital role in the development of Tesla’s Model 3 and the Cybertruck, Awasthi managed processes from early design to large-scale production.
He also oversaw cross-functional engineering teams and strategic decision-making as a program manager for the Cybertruck.
Tesla Cybertruck chief’s emotional exit announcement
From Bengaluru’s classrooms to Tesla’s cutting-edge labs, Awasthi’s story is indeed a pure inspiration. But his departure announcement is even more touching.
In a lengthy social media post, while expressing deep gratitude toward Elon Musk, the engineer also called his colleagues “talented, driven and truly rockstars.” He further thanked Tesla’s customers for their immense support.
“It’s been an absolute privilege filled with mostly high-intensity days — working alongside talented, driven, and truly rockstar colleagues across Tesla. I want to extend a huge thanks to Elon, all Tesla leaders (past and present), mentors, and our amazing customers (huge shoutout!) who’ve fueled my drive and kept me pushing forward through it all,” the post read.
In the same post, Awasthi didn’t miss the opportunity to mention his incredible journey, starting from an intern to Cybertruck boss.
He said, “Eight years ago, when I started as an intern, I never dreamed I’d one day have the opportunity to lead the program and bring it to reality."
At the end, he also wished Tesla the best, dropping a hint of something exciting Awasthi is waiting for.
“I’m confident Tesla will nail its next big mission (especially after last week), and I’m truly excited for the next chapter of my life,” said the former Cybertruck boss as he ended his farewell post.”
Awasthi exits amid Tesla’s profit dip
Awasthi’s exit occurs at a time when Tesla is facing declining demand. The company is grappling with a challenging financial period, marked by its fourth consecutive quarterly decline in profit.
Tesla reported earnings of $1.4 billion in Q3 FY25, a 37 per cent decline year-over-year, despite solid sales figures.
Over 63,000 Cybertrucks were recalled in the US earlier in October, after regulators noticed that the headlights were excessively bright, posing a significant risk to other drivers.
Not only that, in March, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a recall of over 46,000 Cybertrucks due to a panel near the windshield that could detach while driving, posing an immediate driving hazard.
However, it seems the investor sentiment did not flinch as the company’s share accelerated to 3.66 per cent to $445.23 following Awasthi’s departure announcement.
For some, his exit marks the end of an era at Tesla, but the market has put on a surprising show of faith.
With Inputs from agencies
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