Tesla admits 'personnel adjustments' in country after job cuts reports

Tesla China confirmed Monday that the company has undergone some "personnel adjustments" recently after media outlets had earlier reported that the company is cutting jobs in China.

Gary Tao Rong, a company spokesman, told media on Monday that Tesla needs a "strong and efficient team" to serve the Chinese market. He said that the adjustments have almost been completed and Tesla's China team is stable at present.

Some top executives have left the company recently, media reports said.

In February, Tesla's China Chief Marketing Officer June Jin Jun left the company, and its former China head Veronica Wu Bixuan left Tesla in December.

Earlier media reports said that Tesla may have cut around 30 percent of its jobs in China.

Tao declined to offer further details about the personnel adjustments in China, but said that the figure of 30 percent is unverified.

Media reports said that unsatisfactory China sales may have been the reason behind the personnel adjustments.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk told media in January that China sales have been weaker than expected.

In 2014, around 2,500 units of Tesla Model S were registered for car plates in the mainland, data from industry consultancy LMC Automotive in Shanghai showed. Musk said in January 2014 that it would be a success if Tesla could sell 5,000 units of cars in China in 2014.

"We plan to continue to invest in our infrastructure in China… However, as compared to markets in the US and Europe, we have relatively limited experience in Asian markets; thus, we may face continuing difficulties meeting our future expansion plans in Asia," the company said in its annual financial report in February.

The company has rolled out some features to lure Chinese buyers.

Tesla's new Model S P85D is equipped with more comfortable executive rear seats to meet the needs of elites, most of whom prefer to sit in back seats while driven by chauffeurs. The model is now open for orders in China.

In December, the company launched trade-in services in several major cities to encourage Chinese consumers to buy Tesla cars as their second car.

Also on Monday, Tesla announced a plan to upgrade its services to better serve its clients in China.

"Charging facilities is still a major factor that hinders the sales of electric cars," Wu Shuocheng, a senior analyst at Menutor Consulting Shanghai Co, told the Global Times on Monday.