After several delays in production, Tesla said that the company is prepping up to launch its Model X crossover towards the end of the month. The SUV, which shares a platform with sibling Model S, was announced first in February 2012 as a prototype model. Initially, the vehicle had been planned to wrap up on its production phase by the end of 2013.
CEO Elon Musk explained that the delays would mostly involve an issue with a supplier. According to Musk, a one-week delay is huge enough to cut as many as 800 cars in the quarterly production of Model X. The same thing goes with the Model S since the vehicle shares the same production line.
"Simply put, in a choice between a great product or hitting quarterly numbers, we will take the former," wrote Musk in an open letter addressed to shareholders. "To build long-term value, our first priority always has been, and still is, to deliver great cars."
However, it seemed like Musk would have to deal with another situation that explains the vehicle's production delay.
According to a source at Apple Insider, the Cupertino-based Apple currently employs 1,000 people who are working on "Project Titan." The source added that a number of these employees had previously worked at Tesla.
In February, Musk revealed that Apple tried to lure Tesla workers to jump ship to the iPhone maker's backyard with offers ranging from 60 percent salary bumps to $250,000 signing bonuses.
"Apple tries very hard to recruit from Tesla," said Musk. "But so far they've actually recruited very few people."
LinkedIn said that there are only 80 Apple workers who listed Tesla as a former company in their profile. Furthermore, not all of them work as engineers.
Another witness to the "exodus" was revealed by Business Insider after it has received a voluntary email from an Apple employee.
"Apple's latest project is too exciting to pass up," said the source. "I think it will change the landscape and give Tesla a run for its money."
LinkedIn added that around 50 Apple employees who had been hired before February used to be engineering interns at Tesla.
The Model X is considered as the second high-volume product of Tesla, which the company plans to increase production for later this year. Likewise, the company also plans to launch the Model 3 in 2017, which is expected to be a less expensive variant.
