Tesla profits slump by more than a half

Tesla has announced its profits fell sharply in the first three months of the year to $1.13bn (£910m), compared with $2.51bn in 2023. It caps a difficult period for the electric vehicle (EV) maker, which - faced with falling sales - has announced thousands of job cuts. Boss Elon Musk remains bullish about its prospects, telling investors the launch of new models would be brought forward. Its share price has risen but analysts say it continues to face significant challenges, including from lower-cost rivals.The company has suffered from falling demand and competition from cheaper Chinese imports which has led its stock price to collapse by 43% over 2024. Figures for the first quarter of 2024 revealed revenues of $21.3bn, down on analysts' predictions of just over $22bn. But the decision by Tesla to bring forward the launch of new models from the second half of 2025 boosted its shares by nearly 12.5% in after-hours trading. It did not reveal pricing details for the new vehicles. However Mr Musk made clear he also grander ambitions, touting Tesla's AI credentials and plans for self-driving vehicles - even going as far as to say considering it to be just a car company was the "wrong framework." "If somebody doesn't believe Tesla is going to solve autonomy I think they should not be an investor," he said. Such sentiments have been questioned by analysts though, with Deutsche Bank saying driverless cars face "technological, regulatory and operational challenges." Some investors have called for the company to instead focus on releasing a lower price, mass-market EV. However, Tesla has already been on a charm offensive, trying to win over new customers by dropping its prices in a series of markets in the face of falling sales. Tesla cuts prices in major markets as sales fall It also said its situation was not unique. "Global EV sales continue to be under pressure as many carmakers prioritize hybrids over EVs," it said. Despite plans to bring forward new models originally planned for next year the firm is cutting its workforce. Tesla said it would lose 3,332 jobs in California and 2,688 positions in Texas, starting mid-June. The cuts in Texas represent 12% of Tesla's total workforce of almost 23,000 in the area where its gigafactory and headquarters are located. However, Mr Musk sought to downplay the move. "Tesla has now created over 30,000 manufacturing jobs in California!" he said in a post on his social media platform X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday. Another 285 jobs will be lost in New York. Tesla's total workforce stood at more than 140,000 late last year, up from around 100,000 at the end of 2021, according to the company's filings with US regulators. Musk's salary The car firm is also facing other issues, with a struggle over Mr Musk's compensation still raging on. On Wednesday, Tesla asked shareholders to vote for a proposal to accept Mr Musk's compensation package - once valued at $56bn - which had been rejected by a Delaware judge. The judge found Tesla's directors had breached their fiduciary duty to the firm by awarding Mr Musk the pay-out. Due to the fall in Tesla's stock value, the compensation package is now estimated to be around $10bn less - but still greater than the GDP of many countries. In addition, Tesla wants its shareholders to agree to the firm being moved from Delaware to Texas - which Mr Musk called for after the judge rejected his payday.