Elon Musk has dismissed Omead Afshar, Tesla’s head of operations for North America and Europe, as the company struggles with declining sales and shrinking brand appeal in key markets.
Afshar, who joined Tesla in 2017 and was appointed vice president in October 2024, was a top lieutenant to Musk. Neither Musk, Afshar, nor Tesla responded to requests for comment.
Afshar’s removal comes days before the second quarter ends. Tesla’s EV sales have dropped for five consecutive months in Europe, with U.S. and China markets also declining. Analysts project a 10% drop in global deliveries, estimating 392,800 units for the quarter.
Tesla’s brand has been affected by Musk’s close alignment with President Trump and the controversial DOGE initiative. Rather than expanding its EV lineup, Tesla is pivoting to robotaxis and AI. Afshar celebrated the Austin robotaxi launch on June 23, writing, “Absolutely historic day for Tesla… Thank you, Elon, for pushing us all!”