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Tesla tracking employee attendance after return to office order

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Tesla employees shared that the company has been tracking their attendance since Elon Musk issued a return-to-office order. 

According to an email sent to a Tesla employee, the company keeps tabs on workers’ badges to record their attendance at the office. In one such email, Tesla noted that the employee did not use their badge to enter a company facility for at least 16 days over a 30-day period. The email reminded the Tesla worker that all employees are expected to return to offices full-time unless they report an illness, are on vacation or are traveling for business.

At the beginning of June, Tesla CEO Elon Musk sent out an email to the company executives, stating that remote work is no longer acceptable. 

“Anyone who wishes to do remote work must be in the office for a minimum (and I mean *minimum*) of 40 hours per week or depart Tesla. This is less than we we ask of factory workers,” Musk wrote in the email sent to Tesla executives. 

In general, Tesla employees have complied with the return to work mandate. However, the company is reportedly struggling to implement Musk’s orders. A few Tesla workers who returned to the office have complained about slow WiFi, little desk space, and a lack of parking spots to accommodate the 22,000 employees returning to the Fremont Factory. 

One Tesla employee explained that the overcrowded spaces had led the company to adopt split schedules with hybrid work. The only workers who have returned to the office full-time are those working at the factory or who need to be physically present to accomplish their tasks. 

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“Tbh they were already back in person before [the] email drama. Most of the people on [the] split hybrid are in software roles that are far away from hands-on product type work,” clarified the Tesla employee. 

As for the Fremont Factory’s current predicament, Tesla has said for some time now that it has outgrown its former HQ in California. Tesla has started laying off workers from various facilities. 

“Tesla is reducing the salaried workforce roughly 10% over the next probably three months or so. We expect to grow our hourly workforce, and I should be quite clear that we expect to grow our hourly workforce. But we grew very fast on the salaried side. And we grew a little too fast in some areas, and so it requires a reduction in the salaried workforce,” Musk noted during his virtual appearance at the the recent Qatar Economic Forum.

The Teslarati team would appreciate hearing from you. If you have any tips, contact me at maria@teslarati.com or via Twitter @Writer_01001101.

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Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

Elon Musk

Tesla Optimus dance video showcases the company’s quick progress

Elon Musk shares a new video of Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus, dancing with improved flexibility and control.

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(Credit: Tesla)

Elon Musk recently shared a Tesla Optimus dance video, showcasing the humanoid robot’s light feet and the company’s quick progress.

In 2021, Tesla announced it would develop a humanoid robot during AI Day. At the time, the company didn’t even have a prototype. To celebrate the announcement, a human dressed as a humanoid robot came out and danced for the crowd at the event. Fast forward a few years, and Tesla’s Optimus bot finally has some moves to show off.

The first time anyone got a real preview of Optimus was in 2022, when Tesla debuted semi-functional prototypes at AI Day. One Tesla Optimus bot walked on stage while another performed some arm movements. At the time, critics noted the Tesla Optimus bot’s reliance on teleoperation for some tasks.

By 2023, Tesla unveiled Optiumus Gen 2, demonstrating advanced tasks like sorting colored blocks, maintaining yoga poses, and some dancing. Tesla also noted that the robot’s hands improved to 11 degrees of freedom (DoF). Tesla Optimus hands in production units have 22 degrees of freedom.

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Late last year, Tesla Optimus robots attended the company’s “We, Robot” event, performing tasks like serving drinks and interacting with people in the crowds. Teslarati played rock, paper, scissors with Optimus at “We, Robot.” The Tesla bots danced in synchronicity at the event with their arms and torsos.

Tesla’s progress with Optimus has been quite a ride over the past few years. Now Optimus can add to its dance moves with more flexibility and control over its legs. The recent Tesla Optimus dance video marks the beginning of the next phase for the humanoid robot: production.

According to Tesla’s Q1 2025 updated letter, the company has already started limited production of the Optimus bot at Tesla’s Fremont Factory. Elon Musk announced plans to produce over 1,000 units of Tesla Optimus for internal use in 2025 and external sales by 2026.

Elon Musk claims Tesla Optimus could be “more significant than Tesla’s vehicle business,” with a potential market value of $25 trillion. By automating low-skill, repetitive jobs, the Tesla bot could reshape economies, which Musk believes could lead to an “age of abundance” where goods and services are cheaper.

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Investor's Corner

Rivian stock rises as analysts boost price targets post Q1 earnings

Rivian impressed with smaller-than-expected losses & strong revenue, pushing analysts to raise price targets.

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(Credit: Rivian)

Rivian stock is gaining traction as Wall Street analysts raise price targets following the electric vehicle (EV) maker’s first-quarter earnings report. Despite a dip after the announcement, optimism surrounds Rivian’s cost control and upcoming lower-priced cars.

Last week, Rivian reported a better-than-expected Q1 gross profit, surpassing Wall Street’s forecasts with adjusted losses of $0.48 per share against expectations of $0.92 per share. The company also reported a revenue of $1.24 billion compared to the $1.01 billion anticipated.

However, the EV automaker cut its 2025 delivery forecast and capital spending due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs. It explained that it is “not immune to the impacts of the global trade and economic environment.” RIVN stock dropped nearly 6% post-earnings, closing at $12.72 per share.

Wall Street remains upbeat about Rivian, citing progress toward launching lower-priced vehicles in 2026 and effective cost management. On Monday, Stifel analyst Stephen Gengaro raised his RIVN price target to $18 from $16, maintaining a “Buy” rating. He highlighted Rivian’s “solid progress” toward key milestones.

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Conversely, Bernstein’s Daniel Roeska gave RIVN a “Sell” rating. However, Roeska also lifted his Rivian price target to $7.05 from $6.10, acknowledging “better” Q1 results. He warned that profitability remains distant and hinges on multiple product launches by the decade’s end.

Overall, Wall Street’s average price target for RIVN climbed from $14.18 to $14.31, a modest 13-cent increase reflecting positive sentiment. About one-third of analysts covering Rivian rate it a Buy, compared to the S&P 500’s average Buy-rating ratio of 55%.

On Monday, Rivian stock rose 2.7% to $14.64, slightly trailing the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average, which gained 3.3% and 2.8%, respectively. The uptick may also stem from broader market gains tied to news of a temporary U.S.-China tariff suspension.

As Rivian navigates trade challenges and scales production at its Illinois factory, its Q1 performance and analyst support signal resilience. With lower-priced EVs on the horizon, Rivian’s strategic moves could bolster its position in the competitive EV market, offering investors cautious optimism for long-term growth.

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EU weighs Starlink’s market impact during SES-Intelsat deal

As SES tries to buy Intelsat, the EU is checking if Starlink has an unfair edge. The review could shape Europe’s space future.

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(Credit: Starlink)

EU antitrust regulators are scrutinizing SES’s $3.1 billion bid to acquire Intelsat, probing whether SpaceX’s Starlink poses a credible rival in the satellite communications market. The European Commission’s review could shape the future of Europe’s space industry.

The Commission has sought feedback from customers of SES and Intelsat to assess Starlink’s competitive impact. According to Reuters, the questionnaire asks if low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite providers like Starlink and Eutelsat’s OneWeb are viable competitors for two-way satellite capacity. It also explores whether LEO suppliers are winning tenders and contracts and their potential to influence competition over the next five years. Additionally, regulators are evaluating customers’ bargaining power and ability to switch to rival suppliers.

SES operates a fleet of about 70 multi-orbit satellites for video broadcasting, government communications, and broadband internet. It aims to scale up through the acquisition of Intelsat. The move is part of a broader push in Europe to bolster home-grown satellite solutions, countering U.S. giants like SpaceX’s Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper.

SES is in talks with the EU Commission and a few European governments to complement Starlink services, addressing concerns over reliance on foreign providers.

“Now the discussions are much more strategic in nature. They’re much more mid-term, long-term. And what we’re seeing is that all of the European governments are serious about increasing their defense spending. There are alternatives, not to completely replace Starlink, that’s not possible, but to augment and complement Starlink,” said SES CEO Adel Al-Saleh.

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The EU Commission’s preliminary review of the SES-Intelsat deal is expected to conclude by June 10. The preliminary review will determine whether the SES-Intelsat deal is cleared outright, requires concessions, or faces a full-scale investigation if significant concerns arise. As Europe seeks to strengthen its space-based communication resilience, the outcome could redefine competitive dynamics in the satellite sector.

With Starlink’s LEO technology disrupting traditional satellite services, the Commission’s findings will signal how Europe balances innovation with strategic autonomy. SES’s efforts to scale and collaborate with governments underscore the region’s ambition to remain competitive, potentially reshaping the global satellite landscape as demand for reliable connectivity grows.

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