A Tesla engineer quit after 8 years and slammed Elon Musk's leadership on the way out

Core Insights - A Tesla engineer, Giorgio Balestrieri, announced his departure from the company, citing concerns over Elon Musk's leadership and its impact on Tesla's mission and democratic institutions [1][2] - Balestrieri criticized Musk for allegedly lying to the public, manipulating discourse, and supporting climate change denial, which he believes undermines Tesla's core values [2][3] - The criticisms come amid increasing scrutiny of Musk's leadership, particularly regarding his political involvement and its effects on Tesla's business [5][12] Company Leadership - Balestrieri's departure highlights growing discontent among Tesla employees regarding Musk's leadership style and decision-making [1][5] - The company is facing shareholder backlash over a proposed pay package for Musk that could amount to $1 trillion, raising questions about governance and shareholder approval [10] - Other prominent investors, like Ross Gerber, have reduced their stakes in Tesla due to concerns over Musk's focus shifting away from electric vehicles to other ventures [11] Business Operations - Balestrieri was instrumental in developing Tesla's Autobidder platform, which allows batteries to function as virtual power plants, a key component of Tesla's energy storage business [4][3] - The company is navigating challenges related to the current U.S. administration's energy policies, which Balestrieri believes are slowing down the energy transition necessary to combat climate change [3]