Elon Musk’s Tesla is set to open its first showroom in India, branded as an “experience centre,” on July 15 in Mumbai, according to a Reuters report. This follows the company's recent hiring spree and search for retail space in Mumbai and Delhi.
As per Bloomberg, Tesla has already shipped its first batch of cars to India — five Model Y rear-wheel drive SUVs from its Shanghai factory. The company has also imported Supercharger components, accessories, merchandise, and spare parts from the US, China, and the Netherlands.
Documents reviewed by Bloomberg indicate that each Model Y vehicle was declared at ₹2.77 million (approx. $31,988), incurring over ₹2.1 million in import duties — aligned with India’s 70% tariff on fully built imported vehicles priced under $40,000.
The Model Y is expected to retail in India for over $56,000 before taxes and insurance. In comparison, the same model is priced at $44,990 in the US and drops to $37,490 after tax credits.
Following the Mumbai launch, Tesla reportedly plans to establish another showroom in New Delhi. However, the high price point may pose a challenge in India’s value-conscious market, where EVs account for just over 5% of new car sales and premium models make up less than 2% of the market, based on government vehicle registration data.
