Tesla has officially launched its first-ever showroom in Mumbai. The grand debut happened at the Bandra-Kurla Complex, one of Mumbai’s most upscale business districts.
India is the third-largest car market in the world. And even though electric vehicles (EVs) made up just about 2% of total car sales last year, the Indian government has set an ambitious goal of achieving 30% of all new car sales to be electric by 2030.
The Model will be the first Tesla car available for purchase in India. The long-range, rear-wheel-drive Model Y will start at 6.78 million rupees; that is roughly USD 79,000. For comparison, that same Model Y costs around $44,990 in the U.S. before tax credits.
There’s also a standard rear-wheel drive version expected to go for around 6 million rupees, or $70,000 USD. Deliveries are expected to begin in third quarter of this 2025.
Tesla spent years in talks with Indian policymakers; one major hurdle was the massive import duties, which could double the cost of a Tesla.
But everything changed after Elon Musk met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Soon after that meeting, India slashed import taxes on EVs priced under $35,000, but only if the automaker agrees to build a local manufacturing plant within three years.
With the launch, Tesla joins the likes of Mercedes-Benz, BYD, and BMW to open a showroom in India.
