Tesla Model 3: Ministry of Road and Transport officials take ride in the EV [Video]

Tesla will soon launch its models in the Indian market but much before the arrival of its first car to the Indian market, the Tesla brand has created a lot of stir. First with the lobbying to bring down the import duties for electric cars and then scrutiny about setting up a plant in India to manufacture or assemble Tesla cars.

EXCLUSIVE: Tesla India official meet Secretary, Road Transport & Highways Ministry. After the meeting Secretary sat in the Tesla Model 3 and went for a small drive with Tesla representative. @elonmusk @Tesla pic.twitter.com/EwF9h23W2C

— Chetan Bhutani (@BhutaniChetan) September 15, 2021

The American electric car maker is yet to come out with the exact launch dates or any details of the vehicles that it will sell in the Indian market. However, Tesla is in some serious talks with the government of the country. Recently, the Tesla officials in India met with Giridhar Aramane, Secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) in Delhi.

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A video shows the Giridhar Aramane on the passenger seat of the Tesla Model 3 with the India representative of the American EV car giant. The government official took a short spin in the car around his office.

While Tesla is currently trying to bring down the import duties for electric vehicles, the details of this meeting are not in the public yet. Interestingly, after the Indian government said that it will consider lowering the import duties, they have turned back and has asked Tesla to set up a factory in India before lowering the import duties.

Tesla is looking for showroom spaces

Tesla is reportedly working on the ground to identify locations for their showrooms in metropolitan cities like Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai. Tesla is likely to direct sell the models in India just like they do in the USA market.

Since Tesla plans to import all its cars for the Indian market initially, it had requested the government to reduce the import duties from 100% and 60% to a flat 40%. Tesla had also asked the government to remove the social welfare surcharge of 10% of imported vehicles.

These requests were supported by a few manufacturers that are already present in India while a few others opposed the move saying that it will give Tesla an unfair advantage.

Tesla Model 3 to launch first

All the Tesla models in India will be imported as Completly Built Units or CBU and that is why it will attract massive import taxes and duties. The entry-level Model 3 is likely to get a price tag of around Rs 60 lakh, ex-showroom. It will become the most expensive electric sedan in India on its launch.

The first product is likely to have a price tag of around Rs 60 lakh. Since the import taxes are very high in India and Tesla will launch the car as CBU,  it will command a high price tag. Tesla has set up a Gigafactory in China and the products are likely to be imported from there. If Tesla ever builds a manufacturing facility in India, the price of the vehicles may come down to Rs 30 lakh but that might take years to happen.

The exact launch date of the Tesla vehicles in India is not known yet but it will happen in the coming months this year. The Tesla Model 3 is available in various variants. The base version of the vehicle is powered by a 283 Bhp electric motor that produces a maximum of 450 Nm of peak torque. This variant can do 0-100 km/h in about 5.5 seconds and can reach a top speed of 210 km/h. Tesla claims that it can do 350 km on a single charge.

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