China has become a major sales driver for Tesla recently, thanks to the company’s aggressive price cuts. According to the latest estimates from the China Passenger Car Association, China delivered 88,869 vehicles in March. This means that more than half of the automaker’s first quarter deliveries came from its Shanghai plant.
It’s no surprise that Tom Zhu, the driving force behind Tesla’s expansion into China, has surged up the company’s corporate ladder in recent years. Zhu said in his new SEC filing that he began serving as his senior vice president of Tesla’s automotive division in April. With this appointment, alongside CEO Elon Musk, CFO Zachary Kirkhorn, and his SVP of Powertrain and Energy Engineering Andrew Baglino, the executive will be among his four most important faces in the electric vehicle powerhouse. he will be one
According to the filing, Zhu joined Tesla in 2014 and held various operational roles before being appointed vice president of Greater China, where he spearheaded the construction and operations of Gigafactory Shanghai. Bloomberg reported in December that the 43-year-old executive was brought to Texas to run the new Gigafactory in Austin as the company’s China production ramped up.
The success of Tesla’s China factory has not been easy. Like Musk, Zhu is known for preaching a hardcore work ethic. According to a Reuters report, during Shanghai’s COVID-19 lockdown, he was sleeping with other workers at the factory to continue production.
