On the Dash:
- Tesla lost two high-profile executives, Emmanuel Lamacchia and Siddhant Awasthi, amid a series of senior departures as it shifts toward AI and robotaxis.
- The automaker delivered record Q3 results ahead of the $7,500 EV tax credit expiration, but faces expected sales declines in Q4.
- A new $60-per-day rental program at select California dealerships aims to attract buyers and boost engagement during a cooling EV market.
Tesla is facing another wave of leadership turnover as two key executives announced their departures on Sunday, the same day the automaker quietly introduced a new rental program aimed at boosting consumer engagement.
Emmanuel Lamacchia, program manager for Tesla’s best-selling Model Y, confirmed he is leaving the company after nearly eight years. His exit came just hours after Siddhant Awasthi, head of Tesla’s Cybertruck program, also announced his departure. Both were longtime employees who began their careers at Tesla as interns and rose through the ranks to lead major vehicle programs.
Lamacchia joined Tesla in 2018 and spent more than four years overseeing the Model Y’s global rollout and production expansion. In a LinkedIn post, he reflected on his tenure, noting his transition from leading new product introductions for Model 3 and Model Y variants to managing what became the world’s best-selling car.
Awasthi played a central role in bringing the stainless-steel Cybertruck to market and had recently taken over leadership of the Model 3 program. Their departures add to a growing list of senior leaders leaving Tesla in recent months, including Daniel Ho, who helped launch the Model 3, and David Zhang, who managed the Model S and X programs.
The company has continued to lose senior program managers as it pivots toward AI and robotaxi initiatives, signaling an internal shift in focus away from traditional vehicle programs.
Despite the leadership shake-up, Tesla delivered record results in the third quarter, driven by a surge of U.S. buyers seeking to claim the $7,500 federal EV tax credit before it expired on September 30. Analysts, however, expect sales to slow sharply in the fourth quarter without the incentive.
In a move that could help sustain momentum, Tesla quietly launched a new rental program over the weekend at select California dealerships. The initiative allows potential buyers to rent a Tesla for three to seven days, starting at $60 per day for the Model 3 or Model Y, $75 for the Cybertruck, and $90 for the Model S or Model X. Rentals include unlimited mileage and Supercharger access, with up to $250 of fees applied toward a purchase.
The rental program currently applies only within California, but industry analysts say it could help Tesla attract new customers and strengthen brand loyalty amid softening EV demand. According to experts at Cox Automotive, EV sales are likely to decline in the fourth quarter as affordability pressures mount and incentives are phased out.
