Automotive Exports February 2023

Tesla country managers in China, Japan,
Australia and New Zealand continued to
report to Zhu, the notice revealed.
Zhu does not have a direct report at Tesla’s
still-ramping Berlin plant, but a person with
knowledge of the matter said responsibility
for that operation would come with the
reporting line for Amsterdam-based Ward.
Ward could not be immediately reached for
comment.
Zhu, who was born in China but now
holds a New Zealand passport, joined
Tesla in 2014. Before that he was a project
manager at a company established by
his MBA classmates at Duke University,
advising Chinese contractors working on
infrastructure projects in Africa.
During Shanghai’s two-month COVID-19
lockdown, Zhu was among the first batch
of employees sleeping in the factory as
they sought to keep it running, people who
work with him have said.
Zhu, a no-fuss manager who sports a buzz
cut, favors Tesla-branded fleece jackets
and has lived in a government-subsidized
apartment that is a 10-minute drive from
the Shanghai Gigafactory. It was not
immediately clear whether he would move
after his promotion. He takes charge of
Tesla’s main production hubs when the
company is readying for the launch of
cyberattack and a revamped version of
its Model 3 sedan. Tesla has also said it is
developing a cheaper electric vehicle but
has not provided details on that plan.
When Tesla posted a picture on Twitter last
month to celebrate its Austin, Texas, plant
hitting a production milestone for its Model
Y, Zhu was among hundreds of workers
smiling on the factory floor.
Allan Wang, who was promoted to vice
president in charge of sales in China in July,
was listed as the legal representative for
the operation in registration papers filed
with Chinese regulators in a change by the
company last month.
Tesla board member James Murdoch said
in November the company had recently
identified a potential successor to Musk
without naming the person. Murdoch did
not respond to a request for comment.
Elecktrek previously reported that Zhu
would take responsibility for U.S. sales,
delivery and service.
February
55 2023