Drew Baglino, who previously held a senior position at Tesla, has established a new startup named Sadi Thermal Machines. This venture marks his second entrepreneurial effort since departing from Tesla in 2024.
Founded in June 2025, Sadi Thermal Machines is headquartered in Scotts Valley, California, sharing space with Baglino's other startup, Heron Power, which specializes in solid-state transformers. The company's name pays homage to Nicolas Léonard Sadi Carnot, a key figure in thermodynamics.
While specific details about Sadi Thermal Machines remain scarce, it is reported that the startup employs several former Tesla employees, indicating a strong foundation in expertise.
Baglino's background includes nearly 20 years at Tesla, where he contributed to various projects, including the Roadster and energy storage systems like Powerwall. Upon leaving Tesla, he was overseeing the development of critical energy technologies.
During his tenure, Baglino was instrumental in the development of Tesla's heat pump technology, which includes innovations such as a thermal management system that utilizes multiple coolant loops for efficient temperature control.
This system allows for the effective management of heat within electric vehicles, enhancing performance during cold weather. The principles behind this technology were foundational to Tesla's advanced octovalve system, first introduced in the Model Y.
In past discussions, Baglino expressed interest in creating residential heat pumps, suggesting that the technology developed at Tesla could be adapted for home use. He noted that while developing such systems for vehicles is complex due to space and energy constraints, residential applications would be more straightforward.
With the launch of Sadi Thermal Machines, Baglino appears ready to pursue this vision of sustainable energy solutions for homes, aligning with his mission to accelerate the transition to renewable energy.
