Benjamin Bate, Tesla’s Director of Vehicle Operations and Engineering at the Fremont factory, has left the company after more than eight years to join industrial equipment firm Chemelex as a plant manager. Bate joined Tesla in 2018, starting in the paint shop and subsequently holding roles including Senior Manager of General Assembly and Director of Manufacturing for Model 3 and Model Y. He was promoted to Director of Vehicle Operations and Engineering in August 2023, overseeing production of Tesla’s best-selling vehicles. His departure marks another high-profile exit in Tesla’s ongoing wave of executive departures over the past two years—including key figures such as the head of powertrain, leads for the Model Y and Cybertruck programs, and senior executives in North American sales and manufacturing. Although Elon Musk has shifted his focus toward autonomous robotaxis and the Optimus robot, factory operations remain critical to supporting his AI ambitions, and the loss of talent like Bate has raised external concerns about the stability of Tesla’s manufacturing system.