Tesla’s been in the news lately for production delays, most notably regarding the Model 3 design which has yet to be completed. To help correct these issues, Tesla has hired former Audi executive Peter Hochholdinger. He will be taking on the role of vice president of Tesla production and helping improve and streamline costs and efficiency. Hochholdinger takes over for the departed Greg Reichow who helped lead the development of both the Model S and all new Model X.
According to Tesla however the departure of executive Reichow was not due to the delays or the recall of the Model X. Tesla has been under pressure after a recent Model X recall that involved the third row seats. The Tesla recall involved over 2,700 Model X SUVs built before the March 26 date. On top of the Model X recall, owners have been reporting several issues regarding overall reliability with the new electric SUV.
Hochholdinger certainly has his work cut out for him. He’ll be tasked with turning around the production schedules for the Model S and Model X. This could prove problematic as the new executive must streamline Tesla production costs and timeline, shaving valuable time from the overall process. Not only that but he’ll be heading up the largest and most important addition to the Tesla stable, the Model 3.
If there’s any man for the job however, Hochholdinger is certainly well qualified and experienced to head up this monumental task. He’s spearheaded Audi’s production process for over 22 years, from the A4, A5, and Q5 respectively. This includes the various derivatives of these models crossing over different makes. In all, he’s been responsible for the production of over 400,000 vehicles a year, as well as leading Audi’s charge into building a factory in Mexico.
With the electric car market heating up quickly, and many manufacturers challenging the 200 mile range mark, there’s no question that Tesla production must improve. Manufacturers like BMW and Chevy are quickly stepping up to the plate. And with over 300,000 pre-orders of the Model 3, expectations are sky high.
Hiring an automotive executive to take on this role is a departure from Tesla’s previous model. They’ve traditionally hired from the ranks of tech and energy industries with great success. From the looks of things however this trend may be coming to an end. Will Hochholdinger be able to turn around the Tesla production problems that have plagued them as of late? Only time will tell.
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