Tesla, the electric vehicle giant led by Elon Musk, is set to make its debut in the Indian market later this year. The company plans to adopt a “top-down approach” by launching its more expensive models first, followed by more affordable options in the future.
The electric car maker is preparing to import its fully-built Model Y from its Berlin Gigafactory. This facility produces the electric SUV in a right-hand drive configuration, making it suitable for the Indian market. The Tesla Model Y is expected to be priced between $75,000 and $87,500, in line with the revised import duty structure recently announced by the Indian government. Basic customs duty on high-end cars priced above $40,000 has been reduced from 110 percent to 70 percent.
While the right-hand drive Model 3 is also manufactured in Shanghai, it is unlikely to be introduced first due to constraints on Chinese car imports. Industry experts indicate that there are currently no plans for local assembly of Tesla vehicles in India, although this may change in the future.
Tesla, which already has an office in Pune, is reportedly scouting for showroom locations in Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai and Aerocity in Delhi. The company has advertised for at least 13 new roles, primarily for the Mumbai and Delhi markets. These positions include business operation analysts, service technicians, and various advisory roles such as customer engagement managers and order operations specialists, according to its LinkedIn advertisements.
These developments follow the successful visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US, where he met with Musk to discuss various issues, including space, mobility, technology, and innovation.
Musk has also considered developing a more affordable version of Tesla for the Indian market, although there has been little movement on this front so far.
