Tesla to Open Its First Brand Experience Center in India

According to foreign media reports, on July 11, Tesla announced that its first brand experience center in India will officially open on July 15 in Mumbai, marking another step closer to launching sales in India. Reuters reported in March that Tesla had signed a lease agreement to open its first showroom in Mumbai to initiate its sales operations in India. To enter the Indian market, Tesla has increased its local hiring efforts and has been scouting locations for showrooms in both Mumbai and the capital, New Delhi. Last month, a Bloomberg report indicated that Tesla has shipped its first vehicles to India, specifically the rear-wheel-drive Model Y SUV from its Shanghai factory. The report also noted that Tesla has imported supercharger components, car parts, merchandise, and other components from the USA, China, and the Netherlands to the Indian market. Following Mumbai, Tesla plans to open a new showroom in New Delhi. Documentation reveals that five Model Y vehicles have already arrived in Mumbai, with a declared price of 2.77 million rupees (approximately $31,988), and an import tax exceeding 2.1 million rupees, in line with India's current policy of imposing a 70% tax and additional fees on imported vehicles valued under $40,000. Insiders expect the price of this model in the Indian market to exceed $56,000 (excluding taxes and insurance), although Tesla will determine the final pricing based on its profit margins and market positioning strategy. In contrast, the same model is priced at $44,990 in Tesla's US showrooms, with a post-tax credit price of $37,490. The high pricing could become a significant barrier for Tesla's plans to enter the Indian market, as the company needs to attract value-driven consumers. Data from the Indian government's vehicle registration platform shows that electric vehicles account for just over 5% of new passenger car sales in India, while the share of premium cars in the Indian market is less than 2%.