Tesla Cybertruck Program Manager Siddhant Awasthi Resigns After 8-Year Journey With Elon Musk's EV Giant

Siddhant Awasthi, the program manager overseeing Tesla's Cybertruck and Model 3, has announced his departure from the Elon Musk-led electric vehicle manufacturer after eight years of service.

In his LinkedIn announcement, Awasthi described leaving Tesla as "one of the hardest decisions" of his life. He began his journey with the company as an intern and eventually rose to lead the Cybertruck program, bringing the ambitious vehicle to market.

On Twitter, Awasthi reflected on his time at Tesla: "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. It's been an absolute privilege..."

During his tenure, Awasthi was involved in several major Tesla initiatives, including the Model 3 production ramp, Gigafactory Shanghai development, new electronics and wireless architectures implementation, and the delivery of the Cybertruck. He noted that he accomplished all these milestones before turning 30 years old.

The executive has not disclosed his future plans or the reason for his departure.

Awasthi's resignation comes during a challenging period for Tesla's Cybertruck. Last month, the company recalled over 63,000 Cybertrucks in the United States due to excessively bright front lights that could potentially distract other drivers and increase collision risks.

This follows a more extensive recall in March when US safety regulators mandated the recall of virtually all Cybertrucks on the road—more than 46,000 vehicles—because exterior panels along the windshield could detach while driving, creating dangerous road hazards.

Tesla's financial performance has also been under pressure, with the company reporting its fourth consecutive quarterly profit decline in October. Third-quarter earnings fell 37% to $1.4 billion (39 cents per share), compared to $2.2 billion (62 cents per share) in the previous year.

While revenue increased, analysts noted this was partly due to customers rushing to take advantage of a $7,500 federal EV tax credit before its October 1 expiration, potentially borrowing from future quarterly sales.

Despite these challenges, Musk recently secured a significant victory when Tesla shareholders approved a compensation package potentially worth $1 trillion if he meets specific performance targets over the next decade. More than 75% of voters supported the plan at the annual meeting in Austin, Texas.

The vote demonstrated continued investor confidence in Musk's leadership, even as Tesla faces declining sales, market share, and profits—challenges some attribute to Musk's increasing political activities and controversial public statements that have alienated some car buyers.

Following news of Awasthi's resignation, Tesla's stock rose more than 2% in pre-market trading on Monday.