Audi veteran joins Tesla to lead production

Palo Alto, California - A veteran Audi executive is joining Tesla Motors to lead production.

Peter Hochholdinger will be responsible for increasing and improving production of Tesla's Model S sedan and Model X SUV. He will also develop the production plan for the company's lower-cost Model 3 sedan, which goes on sale next year.

Hochholdinger spent 22 years at Audi, the luxury arm of German automaker Volkswagen AG.

He joins Palo Alto, California- based Tesla as it plans a major increase in production. CEO Elon Musk said last week that Tesla wants to make 500 000 vehicles per year by 2018, two years earlier than initially planned. Tesla made 50 000 vehicles in 2015.

Tesla's former production chief left earlier this month after the launch of the Model X was plagued by delays and parts shortages.