San Francisco, March 28 (IANS) Tesla has announced that it is reducing the number of on-site workers at its Nevada gigafactory by 75 per cent in response to the growing spread of coronavirus.

It's not clear how long Tesla's staff reduction will last, how many employees it affects or whether they will be paid during their time off, reports New York Post.

The plant produces battery packs and electric motors for the Model 3 sedan, Tesla's most popular car.

Additionally, Panasonic, which helps make Tesla's batteries in a section of the Gigafactory, suspended its operations last week.
Panasonic said it would ramp down operations and then close for 14 days.

Recently, Tesla confirmed two office employees had tested positive for COVID-19, but did not specify where those workers were located.

Tesla told employees in an internal memo that two office staffers have been tested positive for COVID-19 who are now working from home.

The automaker suspended production last week at its car factory in the San Francisco Bay Area after a dispute with local officials.

Musk, however, said that his Gigafactory facility in New York will reopen to begin producing ventilators that are in short supply in the US.

Musk has also donated 50,000 N95 surgical masks and various protective items to a hospital in the US.

--IANS wh/na