Tesla Inc., an American automotive and clean energy company, officially made its debut in India by launching its model “Y” here today.
The splendid inauguration of Model Y at the “Tesla Experience Centre” highlighted the official entry of Tesla in the World’s third-largest automotive market.
The price of the model “Y” is categorized into two variants, Standard and Long Range, with a cost of about Rs. 59.89 lakh and Rs. 67.89 lakh, respectively. It’s a bit pricey as the model is being imported as a Completely Built Unit (CBU) with high import duties.
While in other countries like the United States, the price of Model Y starts from $44,990 (which is about Rs. 38.63 lakh), similarly it is 263,500 yuan in China ( approximately Rs 31.57 lakh) and 45,970 euros in Germany ( about Rs 46.09 lakh).
Tesla’s Indian showroom was inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He was accompanied by a high-level delegation, including the Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, Transport Commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar, and Tesla’s Senior Regional Director Isabel Fan.
Tesla’s Senior Regional Director also presented the future roadmap to the Chief Minister regarding innovation and research. Initially, the giant car manufacturer will import Model “Y” units from Shanghai, China. Tesla will consider the demand for EVs, or Electric Vehicles, before setting up the local manufacturing plants in India.
Isabel Fan also confirmed the upcoming V4 Supercharger stations in major cities, including 16 Superchargers and 15 Destination Chargers in Delhi. Isabel also pointed out the local hiring at the Research and Manufacturing division, showing confidence in future investments.
Tesla’s inaugural move of model “Y” came after years of speculations, controversies, and roadblocks. It is a compact electric SUV or Sport Utility Vehicle with a spacious interior, ample boot space, as well as a minimalist design. This model features smart technology, including the touchscreen interface, Autopilot driver-assistance, and over-the-air software updates.
This model also comes up with an ultra-responsive 15.4-inch touchscreen at the centre of this model and an 8-inch touchscreen for the second row passengers. It also has an immersive soundscape, a live weather updates facility, detour estimates, and Tesla Arcade ( touchscreen gaming experience).
Model Y can run over 500km on a single charge, which also shows its speed or acceleration capacity with a comfortable ride experience. Deliveries of Model Y will start from Q3 2025.
India poses a win-win situation for Tesla as the company starts its model “Y” booking online at its official website.
Initially, Tesla treads a cautious approach by importing cars to test on demand rather than making an investment in upfront manufacturing. The company is looking to test the industrial situation in India.
Currently, Tesla’s operation is at only 4% of India’s total auto sales as the company is dealing in the luxury EV or Electric Vehicle segment. While automobile experts pointed to the tariff relief for easing prices in India. They also pointed out that Tesla is looking to leverage India’s Production Linked Scheme (PLI) and Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Electric Passenger Cars in India (SPMEPCI). These policies are related to taxation breaks and tariff reliefs for companies that invest in local manufacturing capacities.
The Indian Electric Vehicle (EV) market is growing at a fast pace but remains small with just a mark of 1,00,000 vehicles sold in 2024. It is less than 3% of the total car sales in the country. Analysts pointed out that the higher price tag of model “Y” in India may cross the paying capacity of many Indian customers. Tesla’s model will face tough competition from the current contenders of the Indian auto market, including Kia EV6, Volvo EC40, and Mercedes-Benz EQA.
(UNI)
