American electric vehicle manufacturer, Tesla Inc. will be arriving in the Indian market sometime next year. The company is expected to enter the market with its entry-level model, the Model 3. Elon Musk, Founder & CEO, Tesla Inc has confirmed the news of the brand’s arrival in the country.
According to the report, the company will launch its first car in June 2021. The report also states that the bookings for the Model 3 will open in January 2021. Tesla started accepting booking for Model 3 back in the year 2016. However, due to the EV policies and import duties, the launch has been delayed in the country.
The report also suggests that the deliveries of the Model 3 will begin from the first quarter of 2021-22 in the country. Tesla is expected to price the Model between Rs 55 lakh and 60 lakh, ex-showroom. The company will be directly selling electric vehicles in Indian without a dealer.
Tesla’s entry-level Model 3 electric-car features a driving range of over 500 kilometres on a single charge, depending on the variant. It also features good performance figures with 0 to 100km/h acceleration time rated at under 3.5 seconds. Along with the enhanced practicality with long driving range, the Tesla Model 3 also comes packed with features.
The highlight cabin is its large centrally-mounted tablet-inspired touchscreen infotainment display. It will provide the driver with a host of stats including charge status and nearby charging stations.
The company is also looking to set up a new R&D facility in the country. Based on media reports, Tesla is exploring its options to set up a facility in Bangalore, Karnataka. The State has announced a new EV policy that will help companies like Tesla and other EV manufacturers to locally produce and sell their products across the country.
The Model 3 will be a premium offering in terms of pricing. Whether the upcoming electric car will fare well in our price-sensitive market remains to be seen.
