Tesla’s Cybertruck program head Siddhant Awasthi exits after eight-year tenure

Tesla Inc.’s head of the Cybertruck program, Siddhant Awasthi, announced his departure from the US electric vehicle maker late Sunday, ending an eight-year tenure with the company.

Awasthi, who started at Tesla as an intern, rose to the top seat after years of hard work, and is leaving a seat where he oversaw large scale operations of Cybertruck engineering and development. 

He was responsible for product strategy, supply chain management, and quality check, according to his LinkedIn profile. In July, the engineer took leadership of the Model 3 program.

In a LinkedIn post, Awasthi reflected on his journey, saying: “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.”

Leadership changes at Tesla’s cybertruck program

Awasthi led Tesla’s Cybertruck project from its early engineering phase to full production, a process that included providing solutions to technical problems and improving assembly efficiency rates. 

During his tenure, Awasthi contributed to efforts on the Model 3 ramp-up, development of electronics and wireless architectures, and work at Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory. “Delivering the once-in-a-lifetime Cybertruck, all before hitting 30, has been a thrilling journey,” he wrote.

Much like Awasthi, several Tesla executives have also said goodbye to the electric car manufacturer this year. Milan Kovac, who led the Optimus program, left the company in June, while Tesla lieutenant Omead Afshar was reportedly dismissed weeks later. 

Troy Jones, vice president and head of North America sales, also exited over the summer. Vineet Mehta, director of battery technology, stepped down in April, and Peter Bannon, head of the Dojo supercomputer project, left in August after Musk discontinued the initiative.

“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,” Awasthi jotted down in his farewell statement.

Tesla’s performance still under expectations

Tesla posted record vehicle deliveries in the third quarter of 2025, buoyed by a rush of US buyers to claim a $7,500 EV tax credit before it expired on September 30. Still, analysts predict a slowdown in the fourth quarter after the incentive disappears and affects quarterly results.

Awasthi praised Tesla vehicles as complex systems that often go underappreciated. “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,” he wrote. He concluded that he was confident in Tesla’s ability to achieve its targets.

According to CNBC, tracking the company’s performance in Germany through the federal transport authority data, Tesla sold just 750 electric vehicles in October, less than half the 1,607 units sold a year ago. 

Germany registered 434,627 new battery-electric vehicles year-to-date, a nearly 40% increase from 2024, but Tesla accounted for 50% less, which is only 15,595 of those sales.

Tesla has a major vehicle assembly facility in Brandenburg, near Berlin, but the automaker has faced some public resistance. Musk’s commentary on German politics have caused protests outside showrooms, but to some analysts, the impact on firm earnings is minuscule.

The Elon Musk $1 trillion package: Is it warranted?

CEO Elon Musk’s name got into headlines last week after Tesla approved a compensation plan pegged at a potential $1 trillion if performance targets are met over the next decade. As reported by Cryptopolitan last Thursday, he will be handed 425 million performance-based shares for taking Tesla to an $85 trillion market cap.

In his appearances at Tesla’s Texas headquarters, Musk claims shareholder meetings have “banger” theatrical presentations rather than more subdued gatherings he deemed “snoozefests.”

According to Matt Britzman, an analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown in London, the so-called “Musk premium” contributes significantly to Tesla’s valuation. 

“It’s a $1.4 trillion company, not based on the current car business. It’s a $1.4 trillion business based on expectations of what it can deliver over the next three years,” Britzman told the BBC.

Sign up to Bybit and start trading with $30,050 in welcome gifts