In 2014 Tesla Motors Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) sent 4,800 Model S sedans to China. Of those, 2,499 were sold and 2,301 were not. Reports from China dated Monday indicate that the company has fired 30% of its Chinese staff.
Layoffs reportedly began before the Chinese New Year holidays, and they are affecting more than just the sales staff, which apparently has been reduced by half. A report at Chinese website CarNewsChina.com indicates layoffs have occurred in the tech support and procurement departments, as well as marketing, public relations, legal, administrative and marketing systems. Before the firings, Tesla reportedly had 600 employees in China.
In January of this year, Tesla China sold just 120 cars, according to a report at CarNewsChina.com. Reuters reported in February that Tesla CEO Elon Musk “threatened to fire or demote country managers” unless sales picked up. Musk had already noted weak sales in China in a letter to shareholders when the company reported fourth-quarter 2014 results.
ALSO READ: Can Tesla Sell 12,000 Cars This Quarter?
The issue is not so much that there are no buyers, but that Tesla has managed to step on its own toes, as well as those of its potential customers. When the company introduced the P85D version of the Model S sedan last October, previous orders for the Model S were cancelled and new orders placed for the new version.
To combat the order cancellations, Tesla raised its order deposit fee of 15,000 yuan (about $2,400) to 50,000 yuan. A second deposit of 250,000 yuan was required when the car was ready to be shipped to China. The Model S costs 648,000 yuan in China (about $103,400).
Chinese buyers balked at the higher fees, as the company’s China office had predicted they would, and orders appear to have dried up. Other reasons for the lack of sales include overly optimistic sales forecasts and shipments of cars from the United States for stores that never opened.
Chinese management suggested selling the cars at 20% discount and using third-party sellers to unload the inventory. Tesla headquarters apparently rejected both suggestions out of hand.
Want to Retire Early? Start Here (Sponsor)
Want retirement to come a few years earlier than you’d planned? Or are you ready to retire now, but want an extra set of eyes on your finances?
Now you can speak with up to 3 financial experts in your area for FREE. By simply clicking here you can begin to match with financial professionals who can help you build your plan to retire early. And the best part? The first conversation with them is free.
Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you make financial decisions.
Have questions about retirement or personal finance? Email us at [email protected]!
By emailing your questions to 24/7 Wall St., you agree to have them published anonymously on a673b.bigscoots-temp.com.
By submitting your story, you understand and agree that we may use your story, or versions of it, in all media and platforms, including via third parties.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Latest from 24/7
