Tesla gears up for July 15 store debut in Mumbai, ships in cars from China

Global EV giant Tesla is all set to formally debut in the Indian market next week with the opening of its first experience centre at Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex.

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The Elon Musk-led firm has sent out select invites presenting the inaugural event on July 15 as the “launch of Tesla in India”. Tesla could not be reached for comments.

As per industry experts, the Austin-headquartered company has already shipped in first set of cars, apparently Model Y rear-wheel drive SUVs, from its China plant.

Last month, Tesla India took on lease 24,565 square feet warehousing space in Lodha Logistics Park in Mumbai for a period of five years.

In June, Union Heavy Industries Minister H D Kumaraswamy stated that the electric carmaker is not interested in manufacturing cars in India but keen on establishing showrooms in the country.

US President Donald Trump has said that if Tesla were to build a factory in India to circumvent that country’s tariffs, it would be “unfair” to the US.

Tesla CEO billionaire Elon Musk had said in April last year that his visit to India had been delayed due to the company’s heavy obligations.

The electric car maker was seeking an initial tariff concession that would allow it to offset 70 per cent of customs duty for cars priced less than USD 40,000, and 100 per cent for cars of higher value.

However, earlier this year, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal stated that India will not tailor its policies to suit Tesla, and its laws and tariff rules will be formulated to attract all-electric vehicle manufacturers from across the globe to set up a base in the world’s fastest-growing economy.

The government recognises the need for a vibrant EV ecosystem as greater use of battery-run vehicles will cut carbon emissions as well as the oil import bill, he stated. But for this, it will not tailor policies that suit any one company, the minister said.