Nitin Gadkari confirms ETAuto report on Tesla India entry

ET Auto was the first to report last week that the Elon Musk-backed company will resume bookings for its electric cars in India next month and deliveries will begin by the end of the first quarter of FY22.

Mumbai: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday confirmed the entry of electric carmaker Tesla into India in 2021 following months of speculation around the world’s most valuable automotive company’s India plans.

Tesla will first start with sales operations in the country and based on the response to its vehicles it will consider local assembly and manufacturing, the Road Transport and Highways Minister told the Indian Express.

ET Auto was the first to report last week that the Elon Musk-backed company will resume bookings for its electric cars in India next month and deliveries will begin by the end of the first quarter of FY22.

Sales will be handled by the company directly with a focus on digital retailing like in other markets.

The first Tesla car to be made available in India will be the Model 3, the most affordable in Tesla’s portfolio, with an estimated price tag of Rs 55-60 lakh.

Tesla had opened bookings for the Model 3 in India in 2016 and several people had paid the $1000 reservation fee. However, there had been no updates on deliveries from the company after that.

In October this year, Musk suggested on Twitter that Tesla will enter India in 2021 while replying to a query from an Indian fan club. “Next year for sure,” he said.

A month before that Tesla executives held preliminary discussions with Karnataka government officials for investing in an R&D centre in the state.

However, Elon Musk has hinted at Tesla’s imminent entry into India at least 5 times in the past two years but with little progress.

Source: https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/passenger-vehicle/cars/transport-minister-nitin-gadkari-confirms-teslas-india-entry-in-2021/79992834