After years of speculation, Tesla officially opens the doors of its very first showroom in India, located in the upscale Bandra Kurla Complex district of Mumbai. The launch marks the beginning of a new adventure for the American electric vehicle giant in the world’s third-largest automotive market.
Tesla‘s arrival in India is no coincidence. For years, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been advocating a significant reduction in Indian customs duties, which are particularly punitive for imported vehicles. These could be as high as 100%, practically doubling the price of a Tesla model on arrival. Although New Delhi recently relaxed this policy, reducing the tax to 15% for manufacturers committing to invest at least $500 million and produce locally within three years, Tesla has for the time being opted for a gradual import strategy.
A top-of-the-range model in a market to be exploited
At the same time, Tesla is introducing its Model Y electric SUV to India, with the base version priced at around 6 million rupees ($70,000), including taxes and duties. By way of comparison, the same vehicle costs $44,990 in the USA, $36,700 in China and $53,700 in Germany.
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Featured photo : © Tesla
