[Yieldway17]

No offense but Elon Musk's word on any timeline basically need to be considered very very optimistic. He don't mean malice but just has very aggressive timelines his team can't meet or full blown unrealistic. Just see smart summon and FSD timelines promised over the time.

And they have very high CapEx costs with building GigaFactory in China and expanding service network in Europe. Doubt they have comfortable money to spend in India right now.

[turbowhistle]

Originally Posted by GTO

As a company, Tesla doesn't have the bandwidth to focus on USA, China...AND India. It has to prioritise the more important markets. If India was high on the list, Tesla would already be here.

Bang on analysis! More over, he knows even if Tesla is super popular in India it will not convert the popularity into sales. Model 3 works because it’s a 35k USD car in states. The same car will be a trophy car for few homes if it’s priced more than 60 lakhs here.
We are still a decade away from embracing Teslas wholeheartedly.

Even the europeans haven’t warmed up to Tesla as the Americans have, despite having good infrastructure.

That said, I wish he works out a deal with GoI and gives us a nice push on infrastructure.

[vkrmchauhan]

Even if a cost effective way of importing/selling Teslas in India is found - where is the infrastructure to support. Not talking about the charging network (which is also improbable) - but the much ballyhooed self drive feature of the car will probably overheat the processor of the car when trying to analyse the special variables on indian roads

[landcruiser123]

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

$ 35,000 is INR 24 lakh in today's exchange rate. If Musk can price Model 3 at under <35 lakhs ex-showroom, .....

Originally Posted by GTO

As of now, it appears that Tesla will come as a CBU (at least initially). Which means it'll be an overpriced EV that a few Tesla fans buy.....Tesla is too busy with USA & China (8X bigger markets)

Would say 2.5 times what the USA price is. So 70 lakh rupees (considering a $40,000 Model 3). A decently equipped Model 3 will be the same price as a Mustang in India.

You're right- I completely forgot the exorbitant duties GoI has with imported cars. I was wrong. Tesla can't even sell more than a couple hundred cars if these are the figures.

Originally Posted by turbowhistle

Model 3 works because it’s a 35k USD car

I've lived in the Minneapolis (for 17 months) and San Jose (for 4 months.) Tesla Model 3 is still very expensive compared to a conventional car. A good, useable Model 3 is about $45k-50k.

Even the europeans haven’t warmed up to Tesla as the Americans have, despite having good infrastructure.

Europeans have never warmed up to the idea of a car in the first place.

[Sebring]

Tesla should launch a Made For India car. Their cars, as they are right now, may not be suitable. And also really expensive. So out goes the Model X with its gull-wing door. Model S is really wide, so that needs to be trimmed. Suspension needs to be relooked at. My friend in the US complains of electronics freezing (windows, charge ports, mirrors), rear door rattles, location of the phone dock, audio system etc. Also the cars that compete in this segment are much much beautiful, so they will do well if they lower their target segment to the under 20 lakh bracket. Interesting space to watch!

[The_Outsider!]

Originally Posted by GTO

As of now, it appears that Tesla will come as a CBU (at least initially). Which means it'll be an overpriced EV that a few Tesla fans buy.

So here's the latest update regarding the Tesla's entry in India, which was predicted by GTO and other BHPians!



Source

[M00M]

I don't understand what elon wants. If you want low taxes that's not going to happen in India as cars are looked off as a necessary luxury cash cow for the last 60 years. Even when we have committed to WTO we still don't reduce import duties or high duties on cars and auto products neither did we in the India Germany EU FTA we agreed to do that which is why the FTA has dragged on in negotiations and nothing else.

The only way India will tax less is if you locally manufacture all parts and then put it together. Now for a start up company like tesla which has its hands full with USA and China that is not possible at this particular moment in time and I don't see that happening either in the next 5 years. Which only brings in the logical solution that tesla should launch or can launch only via cbu imports. They could do a deal with the gov of India and have some quid pro quo wherein they commit to making a factory in the future if they are allowed to import x cars at a lesser import duty rate but that's another pipe dream to except gov of India to agree to that.

All in all we in India have to settle with Tata or Mahindra for now for EV or pay and get a exp small crossover kona. There is renewed interest in EV space after GST rate cut but I don't see it bringing leaps of changes on the ground in the next 12-24 months . It will take time.

Hope elon takes some gutsy decision to launch in India in 2020 otherwise he's just going to wait for low taxes or some thing or the other and that's not going to happen in India.

[Sunil2307]

Originally Posted by M00M

All in all we in India have to settle with Tata or Mahindra for now for EV or pay and get a exp small crossover kona. There is renewed interest in EV space after GST rate cut but I don't see it bringing leaps of changes on the ground in the next 12-24 months . It will take time.

And exactly that in my opinion is the problem. The auto manufacturers will keep crying hoarse that they are facing a slowdown, because not enough people are buying their grossly over priced ICE cars.
They wont reduce the prices, nor would they invest in research on EVs, but they'd keep asking for tax breaks and continue playing victim.

[rubicon]

Elon followed it up with another response on twitter.

[OrangeCar]

Okay.. another update by Elon Musk.

Says Tesla should hopefully arrive in India soon.

Now, I do not know what the definition or meaning of 'soon' is as per Elon Musk. But there is hope.

Also, I am confused as to how did the gentlemen book a Tesla 4 years ago? Was it open for international buyers all over the world? I think, yes. Not able to recollect it.

None the less, it does not matter to me as Model 3 will cost in the vicinity of 60-80L INR. Way off the mark for me.

Tweet

[patron]

Originally Posted by OrangeCar

Also, I am confused as to how did the gentlemen book a Tesla 4 years ago? Was it open for international buyers all over the world?

Yes. The Tesla 3 bookings were open to all, including Indians. I don't know why they did that but it was dumb on the part of the buyer to book a vehicle that doesn't exist in the country and when there was no roadmap as well.

[vsrivatsa]

Exciting news - but we need to wait and watch!

Elon Musk Says That Tesla Is Coming To India In 2021 : Link

Tesla founder and CEO, Elon Musk has revealed that his company will be launching in India in 2021. In typical fashion, Musk revealed this on Twitter when a twitter handle called the Tesla Club India asked him a question around the entry of the electric car maker in India. "Next year for sure" replied the eccentric billionaire.

[Bibendum90949]

Originally Posted by vsrivatsa

Exciting news - but we need to wait and watch!

Elon Musk Says That Tesla Is Coming To India In 2021 :

One good thing is he's still sticking to his words. Even today, he remains committed to the same answer ("next year") which he gave 4 years ago

[vsrivatsa]

Originally Posted by Bibendum90949

One good thing is he's still sticking to his words. Even today, he remains committed to the same answer ("next year") which he gave 4 years ago

But this time round some action happening on the ground as well, in terms of the talks with the Karnataka Govt for a research facility in Bangalore, which happened a few weeks ago.
Tesla in talks with Karnataka government to set up research center in Bengaluru: Link.
I wonder if that is what he meant.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Tesla, whenever they are launched in India, are not going to be cheap. The most basic Model 3 is a C Class competitor, while the Model S sells against the mighty S Class. So they are never going to play the numbers game like they do in the US.

Tesla should take advantage of the 2500 cars per annum rule that is in place for limited but easy imports. It is the perfect way for them to bring their products here without getting into too many regulatory and homologation related hassles.