Siddhant Awasthi’s leadership coincided with significant milestones and challenges for the Cybertruck. Between November 2023 and early 2024, 46,096 Cybertrucks were produced, according to US recall filings. The Cybertruck also faced product recalls and sales difficulties, with Tesla offering discounts on inventory vehicles.
Siddhant Awasthi, who most recently led Tesla’s Cybertruck program, announced late Sunday his decision to leave the company after more than eight years. Awasthi, who has Indian roots, began at Tesla as an intern and eventually oversaw the Cybertruck—from engineering to large-scale production – playing a significant role in product strategy, quality enhancements, and supply chain management, as outlined in his LinkedIn post. In July last year, he also assumed leadership of Tesla’s Model 3 program.
On LinkedIn, Awasthi wrote, “Eight years ago, when I started as an intern, I never dreamed I’d one day have the opportunity to lead the Cybertruck program and bring it to reality,” highlighting the significance of his journey at Tesla. This announcement followed a period of substantial professional achievements, including the launch and production ramp-up of key Tesla vehicles.
“I recently made one of the hardest decisions of my life to leave Tesla after an incredible run. It’s been an absolute privilege filled with mostly high-intensity daysworking alongside talented, driven, and truly rockstar colleagues across Tesla,” Awasthi went on. However, he did not specify his next career move.
Looking back at his career at Tesla, Awasthi said he was involved in “ramping up Model 3, working on Giga Shanghai, developing new electronics and wireless architectures, and delivering the once-in-a-lifetime Cybertruckall before hitting 30.”
Awasthi expressed gratitude to colleagues and leadership: “I want to extend a huge thanks to Elon, all Tesla leaders (past and present), mentors, and our amazing customers (huge shoutout!) who’ve fuelled my drive and kept me pushing forward through it all.”
He acknowledged the complexity and impact of Tesla’s technology, stating, “This decision wasn’t easy, especially with so much exciting growth on the horizon. Tesla vehicles are incredibly complex systems that often don’t get the credit they deserve, but I’ve witnessed firsthand how they’ve changed lives for our customers, my friends, and my family adding real value and, above all, improving safety.”
Awasthi’s leadership coincided with significant milestones and challenges for the Cybertruck. Between November 2023 and early 2024, 46,096 Cybertrucks were produced, according to US recall filings. The Cybertruck also faced product recalls and sales difficulties, with Tesla offering discounts on inventory vehicles.
The announcement of Awasthi’s departure comes as Tesla reported a fourth consecutive quarterly profit decline in October. The company’s earnings for the third quarter dropped 37% to $1.4 billion, or 39 cents a share, compared to the previous year. Despite increased sales, results followed a surge of buyers seeking to benefit from a $7,500 tax credit before its expiry, potentially impacting future quarters.
