Tesla, the leading electric vehicle manufacturer, has made a strategic hire from Stellantis, a global automotive company, to oversee quality operations at its Gigafactory Texas facility. Kahiree Gans, a seasoned manufacturing executive, has joined Tesla to take charge of quality operations at a crucial juncture for the Gigafactory.
Tesla has been actively expanding its manufacturing leadership team, with a focus on bolstering its production capacity, aiming to increase its annual electric vehicle output from approximately 2 million to a staggering 20 million vehicles by the end of the decade.
Gans brings a wealth of experience to his new role, having earned a mechanical engineering degree from Tuskegee University and a master’s degree in manufacturing engineering from the University of Michigan. He commenced his engineering career at General Motors (GM) and spent the last decade at Stellantis, where he held various positions in powertrain engineering and production.
Notably, Gans served as the head of manufacturing quality for Stellantis’ engine division before joining Tesla.
His appointment comes at a pivotal time for Gigafactory Texas, which has been transitioning from solely producing the Model Y to incorporating the production of the highly anticipated Cybertruck. Additionally, the factory has been involved in battery cell production and the deployment of Tesla’s innovative “unboxed” production process, which is poised to underpin the next generation of electric vehicles.
Gans’ hiring is part of a broader effort by Tesla to reinforce its manufacturing leadership, with several key appointments in recent times, including Michael Hildebrand from Eli Lilly to lead the expansion at Gigafactory Nevada and Dr. Michael Schmitt from Bosch to oversee Gigafactory operations.
Tesla’s ambitious production goals have raised eyebrows among industry analysts, with skepticism about the feasibility of reaching an annual output of 20 million electric vehicles. However, it’s worth noting that Tesla has defied doubters in the past, achieving milestones that many believed were unattainable, including the production of 1 million vehicles in a single year.
