Saturday, August 23, 2025

Slate poaches key Tesla manufacturing chief to construct its electrical pickup truck

Slate Auto, a brand new EV startup backed by Jeff Bezos, has poached a key Tesla manufacturing chief to construct its electrical pickup truck manufacturing unit in Indiana.

Napoleon Reyes is a US Marine from Indiana who received a level in mechanical engineering from Purdue after leaving the power.

He then labored a couple of years at Subaru and Wabash earlier than becoming a member of Tesla’s manufacturing workforce on the Fremont Manufacturing unit in 2020.

There, he turned a part of the Mannequin Y manufacturing ramp and was shortly promoted to guide the Mannequin Y Basic Meeting in Fremont in 2022.

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Reyes led Mannequin Y GA, one of the vital vital components of auto manufacturing, for greater than a 12 months earlier than being promoted once more to guide new pilot processes on the manufacturing unit.

Most not too long ago, he led the launch of the overall meeting line for the Mannequin Y refresh.

The brand new engineering supervisor introduced this week that he’s leaving Tesla to hitch Slate:

A bit late on the submit however after almost 5 years working at Tesla in Fremont, I made the tough resolution to go away the Firm and transfer nearer to dwelling with my household. It was an unimaginable expertise being a part of a number of line expansions and a number of Mannequin Y program launches. Main and managing the Mannequin Y Refresh launch for GA in Fremont this 12 months examined me professionally nevertheless we finally succeeded attributable to our wonderful cross practical workforce collaboration. It’s been an absolute pleasure working with such nice individuals, and I’ll perpetually be proud and grateful for every little thing we completed collectively.

I can be taking up a brand new function as Senior Supervisor, Plant Automobile Engineering at Slate Auto in Warsaw, In.

Slate emerged from stealth mode earlier this 12 months to unveil a brand new sort of electrical pickup truck that includes modular customization and an reasonably priced worth.

The corporate raised over $700 million by two rounds of investments from a number of completely different buyers, together with Jeff Bezos. It’s at present elevating extra, which principally ensures that it will likely be capable of attain manufacturing.

The startup acquired a former printing plant in Warsaw, Indiana. It’s at present changing to fabricate its electrical pickup with a workforce from legacy automakers and likewise a number of former engineers and leaders from Tesla.

Wealthy Schmidt, an early Tesla manufacturing director, is the pinnacle of producing.

FTC: We use earnings incomes auto affiliate hyperlinks. Extra.

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