Tesla to begin promoting imported EVs in India by April, to import automobiles from Germany as an alternative of China – Firstpost

After years of hypothesis and hurdles, Tesla lastly appears able to hit Indian roads. The American electrical car (EV) big, led by Elon Musk, has lengthy been eyeing the Indian market however has confronted challenges starting from regulatory points to excessive import taxes. Nonetheless, contemporary studies counsel that the corporate is gearing as much as introduce its EVs in India, with the primary batch of imported fashions anticipated to reach as early as April.

Including to the joy, Tesla has reportedly finalised areas for its first two showrooms within the nation, with Delhi and Mumbai prone to be the launch cities. If all goes in response to plan, Indian automotive consumers will quickly get an opportunity to expertise Tesla’s futuristic EVs with out having to import them on their very own.

Imported Teslas on the way in which

Trade insiders reveal that Tesla’s preliminary fleet for India will primarily come from its Berlin Gigafactory, as an alternative of China, given the Indian Authorities’s issues over China. The EV firm is claimed to be aiming for a price ticket beneath $25,000 (round ₹22 lakh) for its first mannequin within the nation. This transfer aligns with Tesla’s world technique of introducing inexpensive EVs to compete with rivals like China’s BYD.

Nonetheless, there’s a catch — Tesla’s present entry-level automotive, the Mannequin 3, has a base worth of $40,000 (about ₹35 lakh). The Mannequin Y can also be priced above the $25,000 mark in worldwide markets. This raises questions on whether or not Tesla will introduce a lower-spec variant for India or make different changes to convey the worth down. Given India’s price-sensitive market, maintaining prices in test might be essential if Tesla needs to draw consumers in giant numbers.

Showrooms and hiring underway

Tesla isn’t simply planning to promote automobiles — it’s additionally establishing store in India. Stories point out that the corporate has chosen prime areas for its first showrooms, with one anticipated to be in Delhi’s Aerocity and the opposite in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complicated (BKC). These areas are identified for his or her premium attraction, making them excellent for Tesla’s model positioning.

On the similar time, Tesla is already hiring for numerous roles in India, with job listings popping up for service technicians, buyer engagement managers, and advisory positions. The corporate has reportedly posted over a dozen job openings for its Mumbai operations alone. This implies that Tesla is laying the groundwork for a robust service community to help its automobiles in India.

A smoother street with decrease import duties?

One among Tesla’s greatest roadblocks has been India’s steep import duties on overseas automobiles. Nonetheless, the Union Finances 2025 introduced some reduction, lowering the fundamental customs responsibility on imported automobiles costing above $40,000 from 125 per cent to 70 per cent. Whereas that is nonetheless fairly excessive, it’s a step in the correct path.

Additional modifications may very well be on the horizon. Stories counsel that the US authorities’s latest govt order imposing reciprocal tariffs on international locations with excessive duties on American imports may affect India’s insurance policies. Former US President Donald Trump has additionally identified India’s excessive import taxes, arguing that they make it tough for US carmakers to compete. If import duties are lowered additional, it may make Tesla’s choices extra inexpensive within the nation.

For now, Tesla hasn’t dedicated to manufacturing EVs in India, but it surely has reportedly set plans to supply over $1 billion (₹8,690 crore) price of parts from Indian suppliers this 12 months. If demand picks up, native manufacturing may very well be the subsequent logical step.

As April approaches, all eyes might be on Tesla’s India entry, which may mark the start of a brand new period for electrical automobiles within the nation.