Troy Jones, Tesla’s longtime vice president of sales, service, and delivery for North America, has left the company after 15 years. His exit marks another high-profile departure as Elon Musk’s electric vehicle giant confronts falling sales and intensifying competition.
Jones was a central figure in Tesla’s expansion across North America, overseeing its core revenue-driving operations. His departure follows the recent exits of other key executives, including Omead Afshar, who was promoted less than a year ago to manage Tesla’s sales and manufacturing across North America and Europe, and Jenna Ferrua, the head of HR for North America. Earlier in the year, Tesla also lost Milan Kovac, a top AI executive who led the company’s development of its humanoid robot, Optimus.
These leadership losses coincide with a critical period for Tesla. The company is facing a downturn in demand and increased pressure from rival automakers in the EV market. In response, Tesla has introduced updates to several vehicle models and offered low-cost financing options to entice buyers. In March, it rolled out a refreshed Model Y, followed by a lower-cost version of the Cybertruck in April, and updated Model S and Model X vehicles in June.
Despite these efforts, Wall Street analysts remain concerned about Tesla’s shrinking margins. Company executives continue to emphasize future growth areas, including autonomous driving software and the Optimus robot. In late June, Tesla launched a limited robotaxi program using its Model Y vehicles, with select customers and influencers testing rides in Austin.
Tesla has not publicly commented on Jones’s departure, and the reasons remain undisclosed. Industry watchers suggest mounting pressure from sales declines and growing market challenges may have contributed to the leadership shakeup.
Jones’s departure adds to growing unease among investors and analysts who have watched Tesla’s leadership ranks thin out in key operational areas. As executive turnover accelerates, questions are mounting about the company’s ability to execute Musk’s ambitious goals, particularly in scaling new technologies while stabilizing core business operations.
