WTF?! Tesla isn't having the best time right now. The EV giant missed its earnings and revenue forecasts during the previous quarter, while Elon Musk has warned that vehicle sales growth would be "notably lower" this year compared to 2023. However, the CEO believes the company's fortunes will be on the rise once again when the next-generation EV goes into production, reportedly in June 2025. That might be good news for investors, but Musk has warned that it will require workers to live and sleep on the assembly lines.

Speaking during Tesla's earnings call on Wednesday, Musk said he needs his teams of manufacturers and engineers to live and sleep at the Texas Gigafactory so any issues with the next-gen EV platform can be addressed quickly as production begins, "likely" next year.

"We really need the engineers to be living on the line. This is not sort of an off-the-shelf 'it just works' type of thing," Musk said. "That will be a challenging production ramp […] we'll be sleeping on the line, practically. Not practically, we will be," he added.

This might sound quite draconian, but sleeping at the facilities is something that often happens within Tesla's "ultra hardcore" work culture. The Verge reports that employees have been known to sleep on the floor after working upwards of 12-hour shifts.

There have also been reports of Tesla staff fainting from dehydration and the company's many safety issues – one engineer suffered serious injuries when an autonomous machine at the Texas plant sank its metal claws into his back and arm. Musk himself once said he slept under his desk and on factory floors while spending "three years straight" pretty much living at Tesla's facilities.

Tesla's new mass-market electric vehicle, codenamed "Redwood," is described as a compact crossover, according to two people familiar with the matter (via Reuters). In contrast to most Western EVs, which tend to be expensive, the models will include a $25,000 entry-level variant. There are rumors that it could come without a steering wheel or any pedals to lower costs. Tesla's cheapest current vehicle, the Model 3 sedan, has a starting price of just under $39,000.

Tesla lost its crown as the world's biggest maker of EVs in the fourth quarter to BYD. The Chinese firm makes inexpensive electric vehicles, though it does not yet sell any in the US.

In related news, Musk gave Tesla an ultimatum earlier this month: increase his ownership in the company to 25% or he will cut back on its development of AI and robotics The billionaire already owns 13% of the EV giant, or approximately 411 million shares. However, it seems he won't be happy unless he's awarded another 12%.