Omead Afshar, Tesla’s Vice President of Sales and Manufacturing in North America and Europe, has reportedly been fired by Elon Musk, according to a Forbes report corroborated by Bloomberg News. Afshar’s sudden departure marks a significant shakeup within Tesla’s executive ranks as the company faces growing operational and financial pressure.
No official reason for the firing has been disclosed. Requests for comment from Tesla, Musk, and Afshar remain unanswered as of press time.
Afshar Praised Musk Days Before Ouster
Afshar, who joined Tesla in 2017 and was once considered one of Musk’s closest lieutenants, publicly praised the limited launch of Tesla’s robotaxi service in Austin just days before the news broke. On June 23, he posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Absolutely historic day for Tesla… Thank you, Elon, for pushing us all!” The now-awkward timing has left many speculating about the nature of his dismissal.
In only a couple days of riding… https://t.co/bprXntmrdy
— Omead Afshar (@omead) June 24, 2025
Previously credited with leading the construction of Tesla’s Giga Texas facility, Afshar had steadily climbed Tesla’s leadership ranks and was elevated to VP status in late 2024 after Tom Zhu returned to China.
Tesla Faces Major Sales and Profit Declines
Afshar’s ousting comes as Tesla is struggling to maintain its once-dominant position in the electric vehicle (EV) market. After years of aggressive growth, Tesla’s vehicle sales in 2024 fell below 2023 levels — marking the first annual drop since it began mass EV production.
The company’s Q1 2025 profits plummeted by 71% year-over-year, while European sales dropped nearly 28% in May alone. Tesla is expected to release its Q2 global delivery figures next week, followed by financial earnings in mid-July.
Internal Investigations May Have Played a Role
Afshar had previously faced scrutiny within Tesla. In 2022, he was reportedly involved in a controversial project related to acquiring special materials for a planned glass structure linked to Musk. That triggered an internal probe, which later caught the attention of both the U.S. Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2023.
During this period, Afshar briefly transitioned to SpaceX and also contributed to projects under X Corp, Musk’s social media company. His removal may signal the conclusion of a prolonged internal reckoning within Tesla’s leadership.
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Adding to the turmoil, Bloomberg also reported that Jenna Ferrua, Tesla’s Director of HR for North America, has left the company. No reason was given for her departure, and she has not issued a public statement.
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