A Tesla Model 3 is seen in the general assembly line at the Tesla factory in Fremont, California, on Thursday, July 26, 2018.

Tesla manufacturing director Jatinder "Jat" Dhillon recently left the company, according to two people who worked with him at the company's Fremont, California, car plant.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Dhillon worked for Tesla for more than 7 years and most recently led Model 3 production in Fremont. The circumstances of his departure were not disclosed.

Tesla and Dhillon did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Dhillon's departure comes at a critical time for Tesla, as the company works to cram production of four different electric car models into its Fremont plant -- the Model 3, which is its most popular car to-date; the Model Y, a new crossover SUV which shares parts with and looks similar to the Model 3; and the older and more expensive Model S and Model X.

During his tenure, Dhillon launched the company's in-house seat manufacturing operations at a facility a few miles south of the main car plant in Fremont. It was considered risky for a car maker to manufacture its own seats, including its own proprietary seat frames. But with CEO Elon Musk in pursuit of pure vertical integration, which would give the company a high degree of self-reliance, Tesla managed the task.

Tesla went through a rocky period ramping up Model 3 manufacturing in Fremont in the last two years, but under Dhillon's management, finally achieved its highest rate of production for any vehicle ever with the Model 3 there at the end of 2019, according to people who worked with him.