Report: Tesla lays off nearly 60 workers at Phoenix energy center

PHOENIX – Electric carmaker Tesla has laid off nearly 60 workers at one of its Phoenix centers, according to a report.

The Phoenix Business Journal reported Monday that the car and solar-panel maker has eliminated 58 jobs at at the solar energy center near 40th Street and Broadway Road.

CEO Elon Musk had announced in early January the company was going to lay off about 7 percent of the overall workforce. That followed a previous round of jobs cuts a few months ago.

Just a year ago, staffing had grown by at least 30 percent, Musk said in the companywide email that CNBC published last month.

Musk said in October that Tesla Inc., based in Palo Alto, California, had 45,000 employees. The 7 percent cut would mean that about 3,150 people will lose their jobs.

Tesla posted a $311 million quarterly profit in October, only its third profitable quarter in eight years as a public company.

The site was formerly home to Solar City, an energy equipment supplier.

Late last week, Tesla notified employees at Bay Area plants in California that 802 would lose their jobs.

The Mercury News reported rolling cuts would start March 20.

Workers at the enormous battery-making center near Reno, Nevada, were also let go.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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