Saying the road ahead was “very difficult,” Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk said Friday that the company would be cutting its staff by about 7 percent.
The electric car and solar panel maker notified its employees about the staff cuts and other plans in an email posted on Tesla Inc.’s website.
Musk said Tesla hopes to post a “tiny profit” in the current quarter but a 30 percent expansion in its workforce last year was more than it can support.
Tesla’s shares tumbled earlier this month after it cut vehicle prices by $2,000 and announced fourth-quarter sales figures that fell short of Wall Street estimates.
“Our products are too expensive for most people,” Musk said in the memo to Tesla staff, saying the company has to “work harder.”
“Tesla has only been producing cars for about a decade and we’re up against massive, entrenched competitors,” he said.
Musk said in a tweet in October that Tesla, based on Palo Alto, California, had 45,000 employees. A 7 percent cut would involve laying off about 3,150 people.
“We unfortunately have no choice but to reduce full-time employee headcount by approximately 7 percent ... and retain only the most critical temps and contractors,” he said.
The company says it delivered over 245,000 electric cars and SUVs last year, nearly as many as all previous years combined. But its 2018 production fell far short of a goal set nearly three years ago of manufacturing 500,000 vehicles for the year. That goal was announced in May of 2016 based on advance orders for its mid-range Model 3, which Musk said sells for $44,000.
Musk said Tesla plans to ramp up production of the Model 3, “as we need to reach more customers who can afford our vehicles.”
“Attempting to build affordable clean energy products at scale necessarily requires extreme effort and relentless creativity,” he said in the memo, “but succeeding in our mission is essential to ensure that the future is good, so we must do everything we can to advance the cause.”
Tesla broke ground earlier this month for a factory in Shanghai, its first outside the US. Musk said it plans to begin production there of the Model 3 and a planned crossover by the year’s end.
Tesla and other global automakers including General Motors Co., Volkswagen and Nissan Motor Corp. are pouring billions of dollars into manufacturing electric vehicles in China.
Tesla plans 7% staff cut as CEO Elon Musk says company must ‘work harder’
Tesla plans 7% staff cut as CEO Elon Musk says company must ‘work harder’
- Tesla delivered over 245,000 electric cars and SUVs last year, nearly as many as all previous years combined
- But its 2018 production fell far short of a goal set nearly three years ago of manufacturing 500,000 vehicles for the year
PIF-backed AviLease achieves revenue of $664m and 19% growth in 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund-backed AviLease achieved exceptional performance and sustainable business growth during 2025, supported by the strategic expansion of its global platform.
According to its financial results for 2025, AviLease recorded total revenues of $664 million, an annual increase of 19 percent, driven by disciplined growth in its asset portfolio and strong performance in aircraft remarketing amid sustained global demand for modern, fuel-efficient aircraft, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Profit before tax doubled compared to the previous year, reaching $122 million. The year witnessed an expansion in AviLease’s portfolio, reaching 202 owned and managed aircraft, leased to over 50 airline companies in more than 30 countries.
The total value of the company’s assets stabilized at $9.3 billion. AviLease maintained a 100 percent fleet utilization rate, reflecting the resilience of its business model, the efficiency of its asset management, and the strength of its strategic relationships with airlines around the world.
AviLease concluded purchase agreements for aircraft from Airbus, including the A320neo family and A350F, and Boeing 737 aircraft, aiming to enhance its future asset portfolio with modern, fuel-efficient aircraft. This step will contribute to supporting future growth and meeting increasing customer demand for the latest aircraft, aligning with the Kingdom’s ambitions to become a leading global aviation hub.
AviLease strengthened its prestigious credit standing by obtaining a strong Baa2 credit ratings from Moody’s and BBB from Fitch, reflecting its financial solidity, managerial discipline, and efficiency in managing leverage. The company also successfully issued senior unsecured bonds worth $850 million last November under Regulation 144A/RegS. This issuance contributed to diversifying its funding sources and enhancing its financial flexibility.
Commenting on the results, AviLease CEO Edward O’Byrne said: “This exceptional performance reflects the quality of the company’s investment portfolio, the strength of its partnerships with airlines, and its strategic focus on responsibly deploying capital into highly sought-after, efficient, modern aircraft assets.”
He added: “As aviation markets continue to grow, AviLease is strategically positioned to continue its expansion plans and deliver sustainable long-term value for shareholders, contributing to the Kingdom’s ambitions.”
Throughout 2025, AviLease continued to play a pivotal role in the Kingdom’s growing aviation sector and contributed directly to the launch and scaling of the new national carrier, Riyadh Air, by completing a sale and leaseback transaction for a Boeing 787-9 aircraft, which thereby became the first aircraft to join the airline’s fleet.
AviLease also established a strategic partnership with Hassana Investment Co. This partnership aims to provide an opportunity for local and international investors to enter the aircraft financing asset class and benefit from AviLease’s technical expertise and operational capabilities to support partnership growth and enhance performance.
Hassana Investment Co. has agreed to acquire an initial portfolio of 10 modern aircraft from AviLease.
