Tesla fires hundreds of employees from its SolarCity unit: Report

After firing thousands of employees from its motor vehicle division, Tesla has reportedly fired more employees from its SolarCity division, according to a report from CNBC. Tesla says that the firings are part of a normal performance review, but a handful of Tesla employees told CNBC on the condition of anonymity that they were blindsided by the dismissals.

SolarCity employees told CNBC that they "were surprised to be told they were fired for performance reasons, claiming Tesla had not conducted performance reviews since acquiring the solar energy business." CNBC says that some employees were fired individually, while others were fired in group meetings. CNBC notes that some employees asked for copies of their negative performance reviews but hadn't received them.

The company would not confirm how many employees were let go, but CNBC estimates at least 1,200 people have been fired or laid off, including SolarCity workers.

Tesla announced last month that it planned to lay off 205 SolarCity employees at its Roseville, California, office by the end of October, and those additional employees were fired as part of a company-wide house cleaning. According to CNBC, the dismissals extend beyond California, affecting offices in Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and elsewhere.

The firings come at a time when Tesla is behind schedule for the launch of the Model 3 sedan. Tesla CEO Elon Musk decided to delay the semi-electric truck for the increase in production units of Model 3. A Tesla spokesperson told CNBC, "Tesla is continuing to grow and hire new employees around the world."