Tesla stock slides 4.5% after Cybercab program chief exits

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Highlights

Tesla shares fell 4.5% to $390.51, below short-term moving averages and approaching the key support at $385.
The departure of Cybercab program manager Victor Nechita creates new leadership challenges as it increases execution risk regarding Tesla’s autonomous vehicle rollout.
If support breaks, the stock may slide toward $360 in the short term, but a growth above $420 could potentially restore bullish structure.

Tesla’s recent decline has resulted in testing the near-term trading range. As the resistance level of $420–$430 has not been exceeded in February, the stock has corrected toward the $385–$395 support. This area serves as the first technical barrier. So a break below $385 may lead to even greater losses for long traders and a series of liquidations. It mostly aligns with prior consolidation levels and even medium-term support.

Moving averages indicate that Tesla is now trading below its 20-day and 50-day MAs. It strengthens short-term bearish risks. The 50-day average reflects a weaker upside tendency, especially compared with the late-2025 rally. The 200-day moving average remains a major long-term dynamic support for TSLA. As long as the stock remains above that level, the likelihood of bullish continuation remains high.

Tesla stock performance (January 2026 – March 2026). Source: TradingView.

Volume during the recent decline has been slightly elevated. It implies institutional participation rather than retail-driven volatility. The Relative Strength Index is moving toward neutral-to-oversold territory; however, it has not reached the extreme levels yet. While downside pressure is increasing, the stock does not face capitulation risks at the moment.

Cybercab manager exit deepens leadership crisis

Victor Nechita, Tesla’s Vehicle Program Manager for the Cybercab, has left his position several days after the first production unit was made at Giga Texas. His exit is not the first one in the series of manager departures, and it has occurred at the execution phase for Tesla’s autonomous vehicle. Nechita had worked at the company since 2017. He started as a Model 3 production line intern. He also occupied various engineering and technical management positions, while leading the Cybercab initiative.

Moreover, he was one of the few senior program leaders who remained after Tesla’s major management restructuring of 2024–2025. Overall, since late 2025, Tesla has experienced a number of high-level exits, including Cybertruck program manager Siddhant Awasthi and Model Y program manager Emmanuel Lamacchia who departed in November. Additionally, the company has also lost Omead Afshar, Drew Baglino, Milan Kovac, Pete Bannon, and other senior leaders over the last two years.

As a result, Tesla now has no original program manager who continues working on its active production vehicles, such as Model 3, Model Y, Cybertruck, or Cybercab. For investors, this situation with program executives level introduces serious operational risks as Tesla attempts to scale its autonomy initiatives.

Short-term outlook and further consolidation

At the moment, Tesla is experiencing bearish pressure that may lead to additional downside testing. If $385-390 fails to hold, the stock could decline by 10% within the next two to three weeks. It may become even more likely if market sentiment weakens around negative news regarding Cybercab development.

However, there is also the possibility that the stock will reclaim $405 with further growth toward $420. Without that recovery, sellers will still control the situation. The most probable short-term trend is consolidation within the current range. However, most investors expect further clarity on production targets and Tesla’s financial results.

Tesla and IG Metall have agreed to temporarily pause their legal dispute over a February 10 meeting at the company’s Berlin-area plant. So they suspend public accusations until the end of next week’s works council elections. The conflict had escalated after Tesla claimed a union member secretly recorded the meeting, but IG Metall described such statements as a “deliberate falsehood”.

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