yacht tech sales

Yacht Tech Reviews & Testimonials

Reviews: 33.

100% of customers would recommend Yacht Tech

"Hi James!! Its Carlos Nordhavn 55 now Believe in Puerto Rico. Hope you and your family are Blessed. It took me a while after bringin Believe home from Florida through Bahamas ,Caicos , Dominican Republic and finally Home. My wife and I want to let you know that thanks to your knowledge on Nordhavn and being there always for us in our 1 month voyage , we felt..." Read more

7 months ago

"First class knowledge. Amazing customer service"

"There's nobody better in the yacht tech business! Highly recommended when quality and precision match with honesty and fair pricing."

8 months ago

"Mr. Knight knows his job and does excellent work. Raspect."

9 months ago

"I highly recommend Yacht Tech for both sales and service."

"When it comes to Nordhavn yachts, they know their stuff!"

"I recently purchased a Nordhavn 55 from Yacht-Tech. James Knight & talented associates. Our first experience with a vessel of this type. Yacht-Tech has provided outstanding in Port services , but my post is a salute to Jay, James Knight & Tony who took our call steaming from Key West back to West Palm and our ABT-TRAC hydraulics were faulting. They helped m..." Read more

"I wanted to give a big thank you to Yacht Tech’s Tony. We had our hydraulics refuse to stay on while approaching an anchorage in Guernsey CI. We spent about an hour doing race tracks while I continued to troubleshoot the issue before admitting defeat and texting Tony. Even though it was after midnight ET he not only responded within seconds but had the solut..." Read more

2 years ago

"Great information and love the reviews."

"My guys are awesome ! Constantly in awe of the feedback that we get from our customers about the service they get from my staff. Thank you !"

"They know everything there is to know about Nordhavn’s. They always pick up the phone when we are in a jam. Can’t beat them for sale and or tech support."

"Love Nordhavns. What James Knight doesn't know about them isn't worth knowing. Love his YouTube walk throughs as well, very detailed. Will keep doing the lottery and who knows one day I may be phoning James up to source me a boat."

"First time with Yacht Tech for a full bottom job after 4 years sitting in the marina (thank you Covid). Can’t say enough good things about the quiet professionalism and deep knowledge of everyone involved. They organized a difficult to find yard slot, helped with moving the boat to the yard, arranged and supervised all work, and got us back in the water in s..." Read more

"Great informative website and YouTube videos"

3 years ago

"These guys are the best for sales and service due to their very deep technical knowledge of Nordhavns. Highly recommend them for both sales & service!!"

"Great team very knowledgeable and easy going."

4 years ago

"Top notch group to work with. From technical questions, to repairs needed, to researching the elusive part for our 20 year-old N40 everyone at Yacht Tech as been superb. They are always professional and very responsive in addition to providing quality work. In this industry, it's not always easy to find that combination. I can't say enough wonderful thin..." Read more

"Recently had a mechanical problem on the way to the Bahamas & had to turn back. One phone call while underway & Yacht Tech took care of everything seamlessly. From finding us a marina slip to ordering the failed part & handling the shipping, it was all done professionally & in a timely fashion by Bob, Jay & Rob. The mechanical work performed by Glen & Casey..." Read more

5 years ago

"Jay, James, Rob and the entire team at Yacht Tech have been tremendous to work with. From the brokerage side to our multiple boat projects, their customer service, Nordhavn knowledge and quality of work has been outstanding. We have had near daily contact with updates regarding projects from hauling out, bottom painting and epoxy to fixing a broken window, r..." Read more

"If you own an ocean going yacht, these are the guys you can trust to work on her systems helping keep you out of trouble offshore. Especially in the Nordhavn world, Yacht Tech has the experience and skill to quickly diagnose and correct any problems you have encountered. Also, when the time comes to upgrade, they have seen it all and can steer you in the r..." Read more

6 years ago

"An electrical problem right before dinner a call to James Night at Yacht Tech and problem solved in just a few minutes! What more can be said? Kind, courteous, knowledgeable and professional!"

"James and his Yacht Tech crew looked after us and our N 47 (often in that order) for years. He was our "go to guy" even when we were half a world away in the Med. He knows Nordies thru and thru. Recommended without reservation. He also facilitated the sale of our boat and, if we purchase again, it will be with James holding our hands."

"Our experience selling our Nordhavn 40 with Yacht Tech sales was excellent. Each step in the process, from listing to survey and sea trial to closing was handled smoothly, professionally, and on a timely basis. Paul and James met our every expectation. We are happy to highly recommend Yacht Tech sales without reservation."

"What a quality group of people. Passionate, sincere and honest. Nordhaven heaven Boat stays tip top."

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The Latest Innovations in Yacht Technology: Advancements and Trends

Innovations in Yacht Technology

The world of yachting is constantly evolving, and new technology is leading the way in how we design, build, and operate these magnificent vessels. From advanced propulsion systems to cutting-edge communication and entertainment systems, there have been many exciting advancements in yacht technology in recent years. In this article, we will explore some of the latest innovations in the world of yachting and examine the trends that are shaping the future of this industry.

One of the most significant advancements in yacht technology has been in the field of propulsion systems. In recent years, we have seen a growing trend towards the use of electric and hybrid propulsion systems, which offer many benefits over traditional diesel engines. These systems are more efficient, produce less noise and vibration, and have a significantly lower impact on the environment. For example, electric propulsion systems can reduce a yacht’s carbon footprint by up to 95%, making them an ideal choice for environmentally conscious yacht owners.

Another area where we have seen significant innovation is in the field of communication and entertainment systems. With the advent of high-speed internet and sophisticated audio-visual technology, yachts now offer a truly immersive and connected experience for guests. From high-definition video systems to high-quality sound systems, and from advanced gaming systems to fully-equipped movie theaters, yachts are now equipped with everything that guests could want to enjoy their time onboard.

Another trend that we are seeing in the world of yacht technology is the use of smart systems and automation. From automated lighting and climate control systems to advanced navigation systems and safety features, technology is playing an increasingly important role in how yachts operate. This not only makes life onboard more convenient, but it also helps to reduce costs and increase efficiency.

One of the latest trends in yacht technology is the use of virtual and augmented reality systems. These systems allow yacht owners and designers to create virtual environments, enabling them to explore and visualize the design of their yacht before it is built. With the ability to create detailed, interactive models, yacht owners can make informed decisions about the layout and design of their vessel, ensuring that it meets their exact needs and requirements.

Another exciting development in yacht technology is the use of 3D printing. This technology allows yacht builders to create complex parts and components with greater accuracy and speed, reducing the amount of time and material that is required to produce them. With the ability to create highly intricate and detailed parts, 3D printing has the potential to revolutionize the yacht building industry, making it possible to create vessels with complex shapes and designs that would have been impossible to produce using traditional manufacturing methods.

The trend towards sustainable yacht technology is also gathering pace.

With increasing awareness of environmental issues, yacht owners and builders are looking for ways to reduce their impact on the environment and promote sustainability. From the use of advanced insulation materials to minimize energy consumption, to the use of eco-friendly propulsion systems and waste management systems, the yacht industry is becoming increasingly green.

The world of yacht technology is constantly evolving, and new innovations are leading the way in how we design, build, and operate these magnificent vessels. From electric and hybrid propulsion systems to advanced communication and entertainment systems, the latest trends in yacht technology are shaping the future of this industry and offering new and exciting possibilities for yacht owners and designers. Whether you are an experienced yacht owner or just starting out, it is clear that the future of yachting is bright, and the possibilities are endless.

Yacht Technology

Eco-Friendly Yachts: Yacht manufacturers are incorporating environmentally friendly technologies such as hybrid engines, solar panels, and wind turbines to reduce the carbon footprint of yachts.

Smart Yachts: Smart yacht technology includes features such as automatic docking systems, enhanced navigation systems, and remotely controlled systems for lighting, climate control, and entertainment. Improved Safety Features: Yacht technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated in terms of safety, with new systems for enhanced stability control, collision avoidance, and emergency response.

Enhanced Entertainment Systems: Yachts are now equipped with high-tech entertainment systems, including high-definition displays, surround sound systems, and internet connectivity.

Advanced Propulsion Systems: Yachts are now equipped with advanced propulsion systems that deliver better performance, reduced fuel consumption, and improved maneuverability.

3D Printing: 3D printing technology is being used in yacht construction to create custom parts and components more efficiently, reducing the cost and time required for production.

Advanced Materials: Yacht manufacturers are incorporating new, lighter, and stronger materials into the construction of yachts, resulting in increased speed and efficiency, as well as improved safety and durability.

Advanced Lighting Systems: Yachts now feature advanced lighting systems that provide improved visibility and enhance the overall aesthetic appeal of the vessel.

Wireless Technology: Wireless technology is becoming increasingly prevalent on yachts, providing improved connectivity and enabling yacht owners and their guests to stay connected even while out at sea.

These advancements in yacht technology are making yachting experiences safer, more enjoyable, and more eco-friendly. The future of yacht technology is poised for continued growth and innovation, with new advancements likely to emerge in the coming years.

The yacht technology industry is rapidly evolving and offers a wealth of new and exciting opportunities for yacht owners and enthusiasts. From advanced propulsion systems to eco-friendly technologies, these innovations are making yachting experiences more enjoyable and sustainable.

As new technologies emerge and become more accessible, yacht owners can expect to benefit from increased safety, improved performance, and enhanced comfort on their vessels. Additionally, the growth of the yacht technology industry is creating exciting new job opportunities in areas such as engineering, design, and manufacturing, providing a wealth of career opportunities for individuals interested in this field.

Overall, the future of yacht technology is bright and full of promise, with new advancements and innovations emerging on a regular basis. The yacht technology industry is rapidly evolving and offers a wealth of new and exciting opportunities for yacht owners and enthusiasts. From advanced propulsion systems to eco-friendly technologies, these innovations are making yachting experiences more enjoyable and sustainable. As new technologies emerge and become more accessible, yacht owners can expect to benefit from increased safety, improved performance, and enhanced comfort on their vessels.

Additionally, the growth of the yacht technology industry is creating exciting new job opportunities in areas such as engineering, design, and manufacturing, providing a wealth of career opportunities for individuals interested in this field. Overall, the future of yacht technology is bright and full of promise, with new advancements and innovations emerging on a regular basis.

Moreover, the integration of yacht technology with modern luxury amenities and interior design has resulted in yachts becoming more sophisticated and luxurious. Yacht owners can now enjoy an experience that combines the best of modern technology with the comforts of home. Additionally, advances in yacht technology have made it easier to customize yachts to meet specific needs and preferences, resulting in a more personalized experience for yacht owners. In addition to individual yacht owners, the commercial yacht industry is also benefiting from the growth of yacht technology.

Advanced navigation systems, enhanced safety features, and improved propulsion systems are making it easier for commercial yacht operators to provide high-quality services and experiences to their customers. This is a positive development for the industry, as it is helping to increase demand for yacht-based travel and leisure activities.

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Equipped with ice-breaking technology, these huge fancy yachts are the only river cruisers running all year around. The round trip journey takes two and a half hours and floats past all the big sights like the White House, Novodevichy monastery and the Kremlin. There’s a large open air observation deck up top, while the main body of the ship houses a restaurant with a dance floor for a romantic post dinner dance. For a particularly romantic experience take one of the evening boats and admire the bright lights of the city skyline at night.

The most relaxing and picturesque tour that Moscow can offer: a great way to see the city center and its main attractions. This is a perfect alternative to exploring the city by car, if you only have time to do sightseeing during weekday rush hours.

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Inside Safe City, Moscow’s AI Surveillance Dystopia

Sergey Vyborov was on his way to the Moscow Metro’s Aeroport station last September when police officers stopped him. The 49-year-old knew that taking the metro could spell trouble. During a protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, police had fingerprinted and photographed him. He’d already been detained four times in 2022. But he was rushing to his daughter’s birthday, so he took a chance.

Vyborov wasn’t arrested that day, but the police informed him that he was under surveillance through Sfera, one of Moscow’s face recognition systems, for participating in unsanctioned rallies. Considered one of the most efficient surveillance systems, Sfera led to the detention of  141 people last year. “Facial recognition, and video cameras in general in a totalitarian state, are an absolute evil,” Vyborov says. 

Vyborov finds himself at the bottom of a slippery slope that privacy advocates have long warned about . Under the guise of smart city technology, authoritarian and democratic governments have rolled out huge networks of security cameras and used artificial intelligence to try to ensure there is no place to hide. Cities have touted the ability of such systems to tackle crime, manage crowds, and better respond to emergencies. Privacy campaigners say such systems could be used as tools of oppression. In Moscow, Vyborov and countless others now face that oppression on a daily basis.

The Russian capital is now the  seventh -most-surveilled city in the world. Across Russia, there are an  estimated 21 million surveillance cameras, and the country ranks among the top in the world in terms of the number of connected surveillance cameras. The system created by Moscow’s government, dubbed Safe City, was touted by city officials as a way to streamline its public safety systems. In recent years, however, its  217,000 surveillance cameras, designed to catch criminals and terrorists, have been turned against protestors, political rivals, and journalists. 

“Facial recognition was supposed to be the ‘cherry on top,’ the reason why all of this was built,” says a former employee of NTechLab, one of the principal companies building Safe City’s face recognition system.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Safe City’s data collection practices have become increasingly opaque. The project is now seen as a tool of rising digital repression as Russia wages war against Ukraine and dissenting voices within its own borders. It is an example of the danger smart city technologies pose. And for the engineers and programmers who built such systems, its transformation into a tool of oppression has led to a moment of reckoning. 

Founded in 2015, NTechLab  caught the attention of the global press with the February 2016 launch of FindFace, an app that allowed anyone to identify faces by matching them with images gathered from social network  VKontakte , Russia’s Facebook equivalent. Met with warnings of the  “end to public anonymity,” the app was reportedly downloaded by 500,000 people within two months of its launch. But for NTechLab, it was primarily a proof of concept for its nascent face recognition algorithm.

NTechLab still felt like a startup when one former employee, who asked not to be named for privacy reasons, joined the company. And he was drawn in by the complexity of the work.

Lauren Goode

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“From [an] engineering point of view, it’s very interesting to work with: It’s very difficult,” he says. 

After the release of FindFace, NTechLab began selling its face recognition tech to small businesses, such as shopping malls that could use it to catch shoplifters or see how many people return to certain stores. But NTechLab was also working with the Moscow Department of IT Technology (DIT), the government department tasked with building Moscow’s digital infrastructure. In 2018, when Russia hosted the FIFA World Cup, NTechLab’s face recognition tech was connected to more than 450 security cameras around Moscow, and its tech  reportedly helped police detain 180 people whom the state deemed “wanted criminals.”

At its inception, Moscow’s face recognition system was fed official watchlists, like the database of wanted people. The system uses these lists to notify the police once a person on the list is detected, but law enforcement can also upload an image and search for where a person has appeared. Over the years, security and law enforcement agencies have compiled a database of the leaders of the political opposition and prominent activists, according to Sarkis Darbinyan, cofounder of digital rights group Roskomsvoboda, which has been campaigning for a suspension of the technology. It remains unclear who is in charge of adding activists and protesters to watchlists.

In March 2019, following the success of the World Cup trial—some of Russia’s “most wanted” people were arrested while trying to attend matches—the Moscow Department of Transportation, which operates the city’s metro, launched its own surveillance system, Sfera. By October 2019, 3,000 of the city’s 160,000 cameras were enabled with face recognition tech, according to interior minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev.

NTechLab was one of many companies building the slew of systems that would later be branded Safe City. International companies, from US tech firms such as Nvidia, Intel, and Broadcom to South Korea’s Samsung and Chinese camera maker Hikvision, worked alongside local firms such as  HeadPoint ,  Netris , and  Rostelecom  that have developed various components of the surveillance systems. According to procurement documents cited by the UK’s BBC, three companies besides NTechLab created face recognition tech for Moscow’s growing surveillance apparatus, including Tevian, and Kipod, and VisionLabs. Moscow's Transportation Department said in social media posts that Sfera was built using VisionLabs technology, although the company downplays its involvement.

NtechLab says it operates in compliance with local laws and does not have access to customer data or camera video streams. Nvidia and Intel say they left Russia in 2022, with Nvidia adding that it does not create software or algorithms for surveillance. Broadcom and Samsung also say they stopped doing business in Russia following the invasion. VisionLabs says it only provides the Moscow Metro with its face recognition payment system. Other companies did not respond to requests for comment. The DIT and the Moscow Department of Transportation did not respond to requests for comment.

At the end of 2018, as Russia cracked down harder on political dissent online and in the streets, the DIT started to change, says a former employee who asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons. The department used to just be the “technical guys” providing assistance to security services, with the Moscow government recruiting highly paid IT specialists to make the most efficient systems possible, according to Andrey Soldatov, an investigative journalist and Russian security services expert. But according to the former employee, the DIT was beginning to reflect the Kremlin’s authoritarian bent.

Then came Covid. 

Safe City launched in 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Russia, like some other countries, seemingly used the pandemic as grounds to expand its surveillance systems to catch people breaking self-isolation rules. By mid-March 2020, Safe City’s face recognition system had  caught 200 people breaking lockdown restrictions. At the same time, Moscow  introduced a regulatory sandbox for the development of AI applications with the participation of large IT companies, exempting authorities from the country’s already lax data protection requirements. “With Covid, [the DIT] essentially became a part of the repressive apparatus,” says Soldatov.

In addition to its network of more than 200,000 cameras, Safe City also incorporates data from  169  information systems, managing data on citizens, public services, transportation, and nearly everything else that makes up Moscow’s infrastructure. This includes anonymized cell phone geolocation data collection, vehicle license plate recognition, data from ride-hailing services, and voice recognition devices. As Safe City was still rolling out in 2020, the Russian government  announced  plans to spend $1.3 billion deploying similar Safe City systems across Russia. From the outside, the potential for the system to be abused seemed obvious. But for those involved in its development, it looked like many other smart city projects. “No one expected that the country would turn into hell in two years,” says one former NTechLab employee, who asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons.

Attempts to break open Moscow’s digital black box have been stonewalled. Alena Popova, whose image was captured during a protest against  politician Leonid Eduardovich Slutsky in April 2018, filed the first lawsuit against Moscow’s DIT for allegedly violating her privacy, seeking a ban on face recognition tech. The case was  thrown out , but Popova has continued to file lawsuits, including one at the European Court of Human Rights—which Russia is  no longer a part of. 

While Moscow operates one of the world’s most pervasive surveillance systems, Russian law does not safeguard individual privacy. With seemingly no hope of recourse, some activists have been forced to leave Russia altogether. Popova is now on the list of foreign agents and is living in an undisclosed overseas location. “I will not apply to any political asylum in any country because I would like to go back to my own country and fight back,” she says.

A key concern is that Moscow’s surveillance system was designed to conceal its data collection from Moscow’s 12 million residents, says Sergey Ross, founder of the Collective Action Center think tank and a former Moscow politician. Although the system is run by the Moscow government, elected members of the Moscow City Duma  say  they are excluded from regulating face recognition systems and have little insight into how it is being used. “It’s a complete black box,” says Ross.

“It was clear that sooner or later the technology would be used to catch activists and dissenters,” says Roskomsvoboda’s Darbinyan. 

Russia made  almost 20,500 political arrests in 2022 , according to data from human rights media organization OVD-Info, which characterizes the number as “unprecedented.” The arrests have sparked fears that Safe City will be expanded to catch draft dodgers—although former NTechLab employees say that doing so would be technically difficult to pull it off because of too many false positives. Still, Moscow police appear to be using face recognition to aid Russia’s war efforts in other ways.

In September 2022, just after Putin announced additional mobilization for the war against Ukraine, Viktor Kapitonov, a 27-year-old activist who’d protested regularly since 2013, was stopped by two police officers after being flagged by face recognition surveillance while he approached the turnstiles in Moscow’s marble-covered Avtozavdodskaya metro station. The officers took him to the military recruitment office, where around 15 people were waiting to enlist in Putin’s newly announced draft. 

“They let me in without waiting in line as if I were some sort of VIP person,” he says. The recruiters wanted to force Kapitonov to enlist, but he ended up escaping the draft. “I explained that I am not fit, I have a disability.”

From 2017 to 2020, NTechLab became one of Russia’s  fastest-growing companies. Other face recognition firms have cashed in as well: The revenue of Russian face recognition developers  grew between 30 and 35 percent in 2022, thanks in part to deals struck in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, India, and South America. Russia’s national AI strategy has supported such firms with grants, tax exemptions, and subsidies, which have benefited both startups and state corporations, including tech and finance giant Sber , telecom provider  Rostelecom , and defense firm Rostec, which previously owned a minority stake in NTechLab. While NTechLab continues to work globally, reporting a revenue increase of 35 percent in 2022, it has also faced a backlash against its work with the Russian state.

In June of last year, a “name-and-shame” list of NTechLab employees was  published [in Russian] with information collected from social media. The project went viral, and some employees reported being harassed online. Artem Zinnatullin, a software engineer now based in the US, says he published the list after NTechLab  sold its new  silhouette recognition technology to the Moscow government in June 2022. To him, it signaled support for Russia’s war in Ukraine. In the post, he called NTechLab “the blacksmith of the Digital Gulag.” Zinnatullin, who says he knew people arrested with the help of face recognition technology, believes publishing the list of NTechLab employees was only fair. “You recognize people on the street, it’s only fair if we use public data to recognize who you are,” he says.

Unlike many face recognition companies that keep a low profile, NTechLab’s splash with FindFace has turned it into a recognized brand. Employees say this high profile has made them into scapegoats. 

As arrests of activists and politicians mounted, the ethics of NTechLab’s technology became a recurring topic at company meetings. NTechLab staff have resisted the use of the company’s face recognition in rallies and refused to sell the technology to the military, according to people familiar with these discussions. Still, the NTechLab leadership concluded that the technology was ultimately positive—even if the occasional dissenting voice was arrested because of it. 

“We all saw these positive examples, we saw how it really catches criminals,” says one former NTechLab employee. “Most people in NTechLab would say they were doing something very good, technologies that can help and save people’s lives. It really did.”

As Russia furthered its march toward authoritarianism in 2021, NTechLab leadership began talking about moving the company abroad, according to people familiar with internal company discussions. But with lucrative government contracts abounding—NTechLab  received a $13 million investment from the Russian Direct Investment Fund, the country’s sovereign wealth fund, in September 2020—its investors resisted the idea. The company was also changing. Its founders, Alexander Kabakov and Artem Kukharenko, stepped down from NTechLab—and both left Russia in December 2021 and February 2022, respectively, declaring   their  anti-war stance on social media. 

Other employees left amid an exodus of IT talent from Russia. The war changed how they viewed their work. “Looking back, we realize that we shouldn’t have done it,” says an NTechLab employee. “But even in 2017 and 2018, it was a completely different country. At least, that’s how it seemed to those who weren’t very immersed in politics.”

Russia’s Safe City projects show no sign of slowing. As more surveillance systems are deployed across the country, Moscow’s DIT is planning to centralize video streams collected across all regions into its own system. And new projects to digitize public services may make it even easier for the government to eventually create large databases where everyone can be found, according to Popova. “It is really scary,” she says. “If they digitalize all the databases and combine them to make this joint database, they can find everybody.” In July, Putin  signed a federal law that funnels personal biometric data collected in the country into a single system—an effort to obtain an “almost unlimited monopoly” on the collection and storage of biometrics, says Roskomsvoboda’s Darbinyan. 

In a further expansion of the Safe City project, Rostec is also  reportedly  developing software that will help authorities predict riots and prevent their escalation by analyzing media reports, data from social networks, video cameras, and other sources. Rostec did not respond to a request for comment on its development of these systems.

Similar systems have been developed in some Chinese cities, and Russia is now playing catch-up. “The Russian government would probably like to move toward China, but they do not yet have the necessary technology,” says Kiril Koroteev, head of international practice at the Russia-based Agora International Human Rights Group.

For now, many activists in Russia are left to do whatever they can to skirt the country’s growing surveillance apparatus, including avoiding the Moscow Metro. Kapitonov hopes that a balaclava will keep him safe, while Vyborov aims to ride the metro early in the morning, when there are fewer police around to detain him. 

“I think that it was inevitable that such a system would be made sooner or later,” says one former NTechLab employee. Face recognition is like a knife, he says: It can be used to cut food, but it can also be used to cut innocent people. He now regrets that NTechLab played a key role in building Moscow’s Safe City project. He has left Russia and doesn’t think he will work on face recognition again. “I do not want to mess with it anymore,” he says.

Update 9:25 am ET, February 6, 2023: Clarified the role of VisionLabs in the Sfera system and that NTechLab's founders have since left the company.

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Tesla Lays Off More Than 10% of Staff Globally as Sales Fall Amid EV Price War

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Tesla told staff it is laying off more than 10% of its global workforce, an internal memo seen by Reuters on Monday shows, as it grapples with falling sales and an intensifying price war for electric vehicles.

In response to commentary on the news on X, Tesla CEO Elon Musk posted: “About every five years, we need to reorganize and streamline the company for the next phase of growth.”

Musk last announced a round of job cuts in 2022, after telling executives he had a “super bad feeling” about the economy. Tesla never outlined how many jobs it cut in 2022, but its employee headcount has risen from around 100,000 in late 2021 to over 140,000 in late 2023, according to SEC filings.

Monday’s dismissals were effective immediately, according to a copy of the email sent to laid off employees seen by Reuters.

Also on Monday, Tesla’s senior vice president Drew Baglino, in charge of battery development, and Rohan Patel, vice-president for public policy and business development, both announced their exits from the company on X.

Baglino was one of four members in Tesla’s leadership team listed on the company’s investor relations website that includes CEO Elon Musk. Musk thanked both executives for their work in a response to their respective notes on X.

Scott Acheychek, CEO of Rex Shares – who manage ETFs with high exposure to Tesla stock – described the headcount reductions as strategic, pointing to Tesla’s overall year-on-year headcount increase as a sign that the carmaker was still in a phase of growth.

Still, Michael Ashley Schulman, chief investment officer at Running Point Capital Advisors, deemed the departures of the senior executives as “the larger negative signal today” that Tesla’s growth was in trouble.

Tesla shared were down 2.6% in midday trading on Monday, with other EV makers such as Rivian Automotive, Lucid Group and VinFast Auto also trading between 2% and 7.4% lower.

“As we prepare the company for our next phase of growth, it is extremely important to look at every aspect of the company for cost reductions and increasing productivity,” Musk said in the memo sent to all staff.

“As part of this effort, we have done a thorough review of the organization and made the difficult decision to reduce our headcount by more than 10% globally,” it said.

Reuters saw an email sent to at least three U.S. employees notifying them their dismissal was effective immediately.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

MASS MARKET

The layoffs follow an exclusive Reuters report on April 5 that Tesla had cancelled a long-promised inexpensive car, expected to cost $25,000, that investors have been counting on to drive mass-market growth. Musk had said the car, known as the Model 2, would start production in late 2025.

Shortly after the story published, Musk posted “Reuters is lying” on his social media site X, without detailing any inaccuracies. He hasn’t commented on the car since, leaving investors and analysts to speculate on its future.

Reuters also reported on April 5 that Tesla would shift its focus to self-driving robotaxis built on the same small-car platform. Musk posted on X that evening: “Tesla Robotaxi unveil on 8/8,” with no further details.

Tesla could be years away from releasing a fully autonomous vehicle with regulatory approval, according to experts in self-driving cars and regulation.

Tesla shares have fallen about 33% so far this year, underperforming legacy automakers such as Toyota Motor and General Motors, whose shares have rallied 45% and about 20% respectively thanks to a slow consumer transition away from traditional internal combustion engine vehicles.

Energy major BP has also cut more than a tenth of the workforce in its EV charging business after a bet on rapid growth in commercial EV fleets didn’t pay off, Reuters reported on Monday, underscoring the broader impact of slowing EV demand.

WORKS COUNCIL

A newly elected works council of labour representatives at Tesla’s German plant was not informed or consulted ahead of the announcement to staff, said Dirk Schulze, head of the IG Metall union in the region.

“It is the legal obligation of management not only to inform the works council but to consult with it on how jobs can be secured,” Schulze said.

Analysts from Gartner and Hargreaves Lansdown said the cuts were a sign of cost pressures as the carmaker invests in new models and artificial intelligence.

Tesla reported this month that its global vehicle deliveries in the first quarter fell for the first time in nearly four years, as price cuts failed to stir demand.

The EV maker has been slow to refresh its aging models as high interest rates have sapped consumer appetite for big-ticket items, while rivals in China, the world’s largest auto market, are rolling out cheaper models.

The company is looking to shore up its margins, which have been dented by repeated price cuts, especially in China where it faces stiff competition from local rivals including market leader BYD, which briefly overtook the U.S. company as the world’s largest EV maker in the fourth quarter, and new entrant Xiaomi.

It is also gearing up to start sales in India, the world’s third-largest auto market, this year, producing cars in Germany for export to India and scouting locations for showrooms and service hubs in major cities.

Tesla recorded a gross profit margin of 17.6% in the fourth quarter, the lowest in more than four years.

It had laid off 4% of its workforce in New York in February last year as part of a performance review cycle and before a union campaign was to be launched by its employees.

Tech publication Electrek first reported the latest job cuts.

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Russia-related Designations, Updates and Removal; Counter Terrorism Designation Update; Issuance of Russia-related General Licenses

The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is issuing Russia-related General License 13G , "Authorizing Certain Administrative Transactions Prohibited by Directive 4 under Executive Order 14024"; Russia-related General License 74 , "Authorizing the Wind Down and Rejection of Transactions Involving East-West United Bank"; Russia-related General License 75 , "Authorizing Certain Transactions Related to Debt or Equity of, or Derivative Contracts Involving, Certain Entities Blocked on November 2, 2023"; and Russia-related General License 76 , "Authorizing the Wind Down of Transactions Involving Certain Entities Blocked on November 2, 2023."

Additionally, OFAC has updated its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List:

The following deletions have been made to OFAC's SDN List: 

PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY ODK SATURN (a.k.a. NPO SATURN JSC; a.k.a. "SATURN NGO"), 163 Lenina Ave, Rybinsk 152903, Russia; Tax ID No. 7610052644 (Russia); Registration Number 1027601106169 (Russia) [RUSSIA-EO14024].  NPO SATURN JSC (a.k.a. PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY ODK SATURN; a.k.a. "SATURN NGO"), 163 Lenina Ave, Rybinsk 152903, Russia; Tax ID No. 7610052644 (Russia); Registration Number 1027601106169 (Russia) [RUSSIA-EO14024].  "SATURN NGO" (a.k.a. NPO SATURN JSC; a.k.a. PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY ODK SATURN), 163 Lenina Ave, Rybinsk 152903, Russia; Tax ID No. 7610052644 (Russia); Registration Number 1027601106169 (Russia) [RUSSIA-EO14024]. 

Unrelated Administrative List Updates:

NOLAN (f.k.a. OSLO) Oil Products Tanker Panama flag; Secondary sanctions risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9179701; MMSI 354798000 (vessel) [SDGT] (Linked To: PONTUS NAVIGATION CORP.). -to- NOLAN (f.k.a. "OSLO") Oil Products Tanker Panama flag; Secondary sanctions risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9179701; MMSI 354798000 (vessel) [SDGT] (Linked To: PONTUS NAVIGATION CORP.).

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