Tesla is reportedly shutting down Model S and X production for 18 days, forcing staff to take unplanned, unpaid time off - or they can 'volunteer' in other parts of the business

elon musk — Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Photo by Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Tesla is suspending production of two of its Model S and X electric vehicles for 18 days from December 24, according to a Friday staff email seen by CNBC.
Affected staff have to take five unpaid days off work, but Tesla said they could seek limited paid opportunities, or even "volunteer" elsewhere in the business.
That same day, CEO Elon Musk emailed staff urging them to ramp up production of the vehicles because of high demand.
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Tesla is suspending production of its Model S and Model X vehicles for 18 days from late December, according to an email to factory staff seen by CNBC.

This has left staff forced to take unpaid and unplanned time off work - and Tesla has said they can "volunteer" in other areas of the business, CNBC reported.

Production at Tesla's Fremont, California, factory will cease on December 24 and resume on January 11, according to an email seen by CNBC.

The staff affected will be given a full week of pay for the compulsory time off, per the email sent on Friday, alongside some paid holiday days.

But this leaves five days that staff will have to take off work unpaid and unplanned.

In the email, Tesla management said there would be "limited paid opportunities" for staff to work in other parts of the company during this time. Otherwise, staff can "volunteer" in the deliveries, or sales, side of the business, it said, per CNBC.

"The SX lines will be shut down for the holidays starting Dec. 24th and returning Jan. 11th," Tesla said in the email, transcribed in full by CNBC.

"We would like you to take the opportunity to refresh or spend time with your family, so Tesla will be giving you a full week pay for the week of Jan. 4th," it continued.

"There will also be limited paid opportunities for you to support other shops or volunteer for deliveries during some of this time."

Business Insider has contacted Tesla for comment.

In a separate email to staff, also on Friday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that demand is "quite a bit higher than production this quarter" as he urged employees to ramp up production as much as possible for the rest of 2020, per CNBC.

Sales of Tesla's Model S and X vehicles totalled 15,200 in the quarter to late September, compared to 124,100 for its Model 3 and Y vehicles.

News of the temporary shutdown follows a string of problems with both vehicles for the automaker.

In late November, Tesla recalled more than 9,000 Model X cars over a cosmetic adhesive that could fly off. This was after it recalled 15,000 Model X's over power-steering issues and 30,000 S and X cars over suspension problems in October.

Do you work at Tesla's Fremont factory and have a tip you want to share? Contact Grace Dean via email (gdean@businessinsider.com).

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