Tesla’s plans to set up shop in India takes a step closer towards reality, following the registration of a company in the world’s second most populous country. Reuters reports that Tesla Motors India and Energy Private Limited were incorporated on January 8, and their office is located at the southern city of Bengaluru – a hub for several global technology companies.
Regulatory filings also show that the Indian division has three directors, including David Feinstein who is currently a senior executive at Tesla, according to his LinkedIn profile. As previously reported, Tesla will mainly focus on sales, and if the cars are well received, then the automaker will consider local assembly and manufacturing right-hand drive models.
Tesla’s foray into India is part of prime minister Narendra Modi’s aggressive push to combat pollution and reduce dependency on oil imports. The Indian government has since announced incentives worth US$4.6 billion (RM18.6 billion) to attract companies to set up battery manufacturing facilities.
It isn’t clear how soon sales of Tesla cars will begin, but the country’s transport minister Nitin Gadkari hinted that it will take place in early 2021, so that’s likely within the first quarter. The entry-level Model 3 could be the first debutant, with a price tag of around 5.5 million Indian rupees (RM302k).
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When start selling officially here?
As EVs get cheaper and cheaper – the Malaysian government should start implementing heavier emissions restrictions on new cars with the eventual goal of a complete ICE ban (hybrids and EV sales only) in the coming decades.
There should also be regulations for new developments (apartments,parks, etc.) to include EV charging infrastructure to make the transition easier.
Of course, we’ll probably see new taxes enacted to protect Proton crony. India are looking at 2030s for phaseout of ICE only cars, Egypt is looking for a phaseout for 2050s.
Meanwhile, Malaysians will get the “2050 Proton Persona X374 with 1.0 N/A pimping 70 horsepower” lol, hope I’m wrong
If any, the slow implementation for EV is to protect Perodua not Proton. Proton have access to Geely stable for hybrid and EV vehicles but Perodua has no such advantage, and if enforced they would be in deep trouble as none of their cars would comply.
All must wait for Proton EV car, even then other brands not allowed to be sold at cheaper price.
As India will surely preventing other China’s EV like Nio entering their market, Tesla expansion in that territory seems potential, but then, how much population there could afford Tesla? Unless it built for other regions, considering cheap labor and other tax incentives.
Chris,
Well, India has implemented a policy of not allowing any FDI in any sector from countries bordering India, which includes China. And for Indians cars are the second biggest investment after home, so I doubt anyone would invest in a Chinese branded car
So even the import of Tesla from China is pretty much ruled out. So it’s expected Tesla will ship CKD kits from the US which also makes RHD models for the UK, to be assembled locally in India.
About who can afford it, India has a very vibrant middle-class numbering about 200 million, and even 2% of them affording is a good enough number for Tesla to establish the assembling facility. The Indian government has announced huge incentives for battery manufacture and I expect Tesla to concentrate on it, with cars coming in second.
The biggest draw for Tesla into India is for using it as a base for R&D for future vehicles.