Who is Siddhant Awasthi? The Indian engineer who led Tesla’s Cybertruck before turning 30 and just quit the company

From intern to leading Tesla’s most-watched project

Awasthi’s Tesla journey mirrors the kind of hyper-growth narrative Elon Musk built his brand on. Joining the company as an intern, he rose to head the Cybertruck programme, one of the most ambitious and controversial EV projects in Tesla’s history.

Under his watch, the Cybertruck moved from its engineering prototype to mass production. He was also instrumental in scaling the Model 3, working at Giga Shanghai, and developing new electronics systems. By July this year, he had taken charge of the Model 3 programme too, all before turning 30.

Cybertruck recall drama looms large

Awasthi’s exit comes as Tesla grapples with ongoing scrutiny of its Cybertruck, which has been plagued by safety concerns.

In October, more than 63,000 Cybertrucks were recalled in the US after regulators found that the headlights were excessively bright, posing risks to other drivers.

Earlier in March, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had ordered a recall of over 46,000 Cybertrucks due to a panel near the windshield that could detach while driving, a potential road hazard.

Each recall has chipped away at the Cybertruck’s reputation as Tesla’s “most advanced vehicle ever,” raising questions about production quality at a time when competition in the EV market is heating up.

Profit slump meets market optimism

The timing of Awasthi’s exit is curious. Tesla recently reported its fourth straight quarterly drop in profits, even as overall revenues climbed.

Third-quarter earnings fell 37 percent year-on-year to $1.4 billion, or 39 cents a share, down from $2.2 billion a year earlier.

The rise in revenue, analysts told CNBC, came from a rush of buyers in the US trying to beat the expiry of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit on October 1, effectively pulling future sales into Q3. That may mean weaker numbers ahead.

Yet investors seem undeterred. The market’s upbeat reaction on Monday suggests confidence that Tesla’s fundamentals, its brand, innovation pipeline, and cost discipline, can withstand temporary turbulence.

Musk’s trillion-dollar confidence vote

Adding to the irony, Tesla’s leadership churn and recall drama came just days after Elon Musk secured an emphatic shareholder vote approving his $1 trillion pay package.

The plan ties Musk’s compensation to performance goals over the next decade, and over 75 percent of shareholders backed it during Tesla’s annual general meeting in Austin, Texas.

The vote was widely seen as a renewed show of faith in Musk’s long-term vision, even as critics question the company’s execution on new launches.