Tesla puts the majority of its staff on furlough, resurrects LR RWD Model 3 for Chinese market

Tesla have put the majority of their sales and delivery team on furlough, with between 60 and 80% of their overall workforce being told not to come in on Monday. Meanwhile, according to Tesla’s head of HR all salaried employees (i.e. not those working on the hour – such as the bulk of their sales team) or those with ‘critical roles’ will take a 10-30% pay cut instead.

According to Electrek.co “Only salaried sale and delivery employees, which consists of assistant managers and managers, are staying on and sale and delivery advisors who have been at the company for more than 2 years.” Testing times, as those put on furlough will have to rely solely on unemployment payments.

Over in China however, where the majority of people are beginning to go back to work, most of Tesla’s factory staff are now working again and have started  producing the previously discontinued LR RWD Model 3 again. Prices for it start at 366,550 yuan ($52k). Why bring it back? Likely to give the Chinese consumer more choice – China is the largest EV market in the world after all.