Production and launch of the Tesla Model S won't be affected, despite two top engineers leaving, Tesla Motors has announced.
Tesla Motors’ share prices plunged 19 per cent last week after two senior engineers left the company. The news comes just two months before the launch of the Tesla Model S luxury saloon.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said "I'm highly confident we'll deliver at least 20,000 cars" in 2013. "I'm highly confident we'll do better than the delivery date of the first Model S cars being in July," according to Bloomberg.
Tesla’s vice president and chief engineer, Peter Rawlinson has left for personal reasons, but the car maker hasn’t elaborated on the departure of vehicle and chassis engineer Nick Sampson.
Spokesman Ricardo Reyes said: “Having completed conceptual and design engineering work on Model S, Peter has decided to step away to tend to personal matters in the U.K.”
Tesla’s shares fell to $22.79 in New York on Friday, the biggest slide since shares began trading in June 2010, although the stock staged a recovery to $24.56 in after-hours trading.
Musk said: “The uncertainty around Model S is now much diminished, as anyone who has seen the beta vehicles and toured the factory will appreciate. There is no question in my mind that we will start delivering vehicles in July, if not sooner.”
The Tesla Model S is claimed to be capable of a 300-mile range on a single charge, and will retail in America for around $92,000 (£60,000). It says the Model S will expand the company’s sales volume.
