Tesla Engineers Received Double-Pay Offers During Apple's Scrapped EV Recruitment Blitz
Elon Musk said Apple carpet-bombed Tesla engineers with incessant recruiting calls offering double pay during its now-scrapped electric-vehicle project. The revelation highlights intensifying talent competition that could raise Tesla’s engineering costs and hamper development timelines.
1. Musk Reveals Apple’s Recruiting Tactics
Elon Musk disclosed that Apple made persistent recruiting calls to current Tesla engineers, offering them double their salaries to join Apple’s abandoned electric-vehicle effort. He characterized the campaign as a “carpet bombing” aimed at weakening Tesla’s talent pool.
2. Implications for Tesla’s Engineering Resources
This talent poaching underscores growing competition for automotive engineers and may force Tesla to increase retention spending. Elevated hiring costs and potential staff turnover could slow Tesla’s upcoming vehicle programs and drive up R&D expenses.