Tesla's new No. 2 won Musk over by working around the clock

Zhu’s China team also won praise from Musk for 'burning the 3 a.m. oil' as they worked around the clock to keep the Shanghai factory operating during the city’s Covid lockdowns. — Reuters

In a Twitter photo celebrating Tesla Inc producing 3,000 Model Ys a week at its Texas factory last month, Zhu Xiaotong, who goes by Tom Zhu, stood smiling to the left of the large crowd in a hi-visibility vest and black cap imprinted with a white "T” for Tesla.

Zhu, who spearheaded the US carmaker’s Asia Pacific operations and oversaw Tesla’s factory in Shanghai become its most productive in the world, was brought over to Austin late last year to help run the company’s newest plant. Although Tesla hasn’t made any formal announcement and has yet to name him as an executive officer, it’s understood Zhu is now overseeing global automotive production, sales and service, a level of responsibility arguably second only to chief executive officer Elon Musk.