Is Tesla model available in India?

Tesla has emerged as one of the biggest brands in the U.S. with its electric mobility and eco-friendly power pact cars that snatched victory from the jaws of defeat over the powerful sports cars present in the market. The blue-eyed boy of electric mobility has finally marked its entry in India with a tweet “As promised”, after a series of long tweets by Indian Tesla fans to Elon Musk asking for India launch plans, he responded in four words “Next year for sure”.

And at last Tesla Inc. has officially landed in India and the wait for Elon Musks fans & Tesla enthusiast is about to get over with the first Tesla car will be seen plying of Indian roads by the end of 2021. Tesla Inc. was reluctant to enter India due to many reasons like high import taxes being one of those and many other reasons whatsoever it may be.

After long-haul discussions with the Government of India, Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari confirmed in December 2020 that Tesla will start its Indian operations from ‘early 2021’. With series of meeting with different State Governments in the country, Tesla Inc. has dropped the dart on the state of Karnataka by registering its office in Bengaluru with an authorized share capital of ₹15Lakh and paid-up capital of ₹1Lakh. Karnataka’s Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa had welcomed Telsa in India with a tweet, later it was taken off. Tesla has not yet officially confirmed, a word from horse’s mouth. Tesla will set up an R&D facility and manufacturing/assembly plant in Karnataka and the state is expected to generate revenue of approximately ₹35,000 Crores through this investment. Bengaluru is called the Silicon Valley of the country and now is an Indian base for American Silicon Valley giants Tesla Inc., moreover, the state is emerging as an electric vehicle and aerospace manufacturing hub with better infrastructure for electric vehicles compared to other states of the country.

Electric vehicles sales account for only 1% of the cumulative sales, the main reason being lack of local components, batteries and negligible charging infrastructure adding to this is the skyrocketed price of electric vehicles in comparison to the conventional fossil fuel vehicles for a larger country like ours where price plays a major role.

Tesla Inc. has been registered in India in the name of ‘Tesla India Motors and Energy Pvt. Ltd.’ Vaibhav Taneja, Venkatrangam Sreeram and David Jon Fonstein being the directors of the company. Tesla Motors Netherlands Amsterdam will be the parent company of Tesla Motors and Energy India and will route its investment offering tax benefits for capital gain and dividend payment, while Tesla Motors Netherlands is a subsidiary company to Tesla California. Initially, Tesla expects to sell over 100 units in India as these vehicles would be preferred by the rich and affluent class. Tesla aims to manufacture their cars in India and export to the world, with a lucrative offer from the Government of India that Tesla cannot resist “Cheaper Production Cost Than China”. Another hurdle which Tesla has to cross will by setting up charging station across the country.

Electric Vehicle Battery
India has given the emphasis on developing EV batteries under ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ skim with ISRO working on indigenously developed batteries for electric vehicles that would be affordable for mass-market vehicles moreover business Tycoon Mukesh Ambani Chairman of Reliance Industries have made an announcement of joining the bandwagon of electric vehicle battery development and this will certainly give a big boost for India and its program, this will help India to merge as an EV battery hub for the world by beating the self-proclaimed 'superpower' neighbors out of the competition. India has cut GST on EV from 12% to 5% compared to 28% on levied on conventional vehicles has attracted criticism from India's automotive industry.

Model 3

This is the cheapest Tesla of the basket that comes in three variants Standard Range Plus, Long Range and Performance

Standard Range Plus
Range: 420Km
Acceleration: 0-100kmph 5.6 seconds

Long Range AWD
Bigger battery packs and dual motor for each axle
Range: 560 Km
Acceleration: 0-100kmph 4.2 seconds

Performance AWD
The same battery pack as the long-range version with faster acceleration
Range: 500 Km
Acceleration: 0-100kmph 3.1 seconds
Only Standard and Long-range will be launched in India at an expected price for Standard can be ₹60L

Model S

Long Range
Range: 660Km
Acceleration: 0-100kmph 3.1 seconds
Power: 670hp

Plaid Tri-moto
Range: 627Km
Acceleration: 0-100kmph 1.99 seconds
Power:1020hp

Expected starting price Long Range ₹1.5Cr

Model X

Long Range
Range: 579 Km
Acceleration: 0-100kmph 3.8 seconds
Power 670hp

Plaid Tri-moto
Range: 547Km
Acceleration: 0-100kmph 2.5 seconds
Power 1020hp

Expected starting price Long Range ₹2Cr

Competition
Jaguar I-Pace

JLR is expected to launch its first electric SVU I-Pace in the coming months into the Indian market that could be price at ₹1.5Cr. I-Pace will be available in a two electric motor and a 90kWh battery producing 400PS power and 0-100kmph in 4.8 seconds with a range of 470km.

Mercedes EQC 400

EQC is the first electric vehicle launched by Mercedes back in October last year with an 80kWh producing 408hp with an approximate range of 445-471km and 0-100kmph in 5.1 seconds priced at ₹99.3L

Volvo XC40 Recharge

Volvo XC40 Recharge comes with a 78kWh battery pack powering two electric motors producing 402hp & 660NM of torque 0-100kmph in 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 180kmph claiming a range of 418km priced at ₹60L

Tesla cars are expected to be priced twice the cost in India compared to the cost in the U.S. at the initial stage as the cars will be imported as CKD units. The luxury car market is minuscule with brands like BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Land Rover also planning to launch their EV's in the Indian market Tesla's journey will be bumpy in India.

As Tesla cars are famous for their Autopilot technology, with improving road infrastructure in India but the traffic discipline among Indian motorists being the biggest question, we have to wait and watch how 'Autopilot' will perform in India.