Tesla scouting Aussie know-how

Australians could have significant input into future models from electric vehicle pioneer Tesla Motors.

The Californian EV maker, which launched its Model S sedan in Australia this year and will release the Model X crossover (pictured) Down Under in 2015, is actively recruiting automotive engineers in Melbourne, the heartland of Australia's vehicle development industry.

Tesla will hold a 'Recruiting Open House' in the Victorian capital next Thursday (October 30), when senior engineering representatives from the company will interview applicants.

An advertisement placed by Tesla, the world's most famous maker of "premium electric vehicles", in local media states: "Want to work for Tesla and help accelerate the world's transition to sustainable transport?

"We're looking for engineers in the following fields who are willing to work for Tesla in California."

Tesla has listed its recruitment targets as: body, interior, seating and chassis engineers; as well as Crash & Whole Vehicle Safety, Crash Sensing and Thermal/cooling/HVAC specialists.

Applicants are advised to send their CVs to AU-Recruiting@teslamotors.com "to get the chance to interview with our top engineering leaders from Tesla headquarters."

Clearly, having just announced an all-wheel drive 'Dual Motor' version of the Model S, Tesla is on the hunt for staff to help develop three new models by the end of this decade, as part of its plan for a green-field 'Gigafactory' to produce 500,000 vehicles annually by 2020.

They are reported to include a second-generation roadster (likely to be called the Model R), a mid-size sedan (Model III) and a sub-$40,000 city-car (Model C).

Just as evidently, Tesla is well aware that Australia's automotive manufacturing industry will be all but wound up in three years, with Holden and Toyota set to follow Ford in closing their factories in 2017, at which point Ford says it will be Australia's largest automotive industry employer.