Elon Musk is likely to launch the company’s retail operations in India by April this year, starting with imports from its Berlin plant, CNBC-TV18 reported recently, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Showroom locations have been identified in Mumbai’s BKC business district and Aerocity in New Delhi. The initial plan includes introducing an electric vehicle priced under $25,000 (around ₹21 lakh) for the Indian market, the report said.
While Tesla has not yet committed to manufacturing its EVs in India, it plans to increase component sourcing from Indian OEM suppliers. According to CNBC-TV18, this sourcing is expected to cross $1 billion by 2025.
News agency Reuters reported that Tesla has selected locations for two showrooms in New Delhi and Mumbai, moving closer to its long-delayed plans to sell its electric cars in the country.
The US carmaker has been hunting for showroom space in India since late last year to start sales in the world’s third-biggest auto market, after putting market entry plans on hold in 2022.
Tesla has selected space to lease in the Aerocity area near New Delhi’s international airport for a showroom, said two people familiar with the discussions.
The Aerocity area boasts hotels, retail outlets and offices of global corporations.
In Mumbai, the carmaker has chosen space in the business and retail hub of Bandra Kurla Complex near the city’s airport, the first person said. Both the Delhi and Mumbai showrooms will be around 5,000 square feet (464.52 square metres) in size, Reuters reported, citing an unnamed source.
Opening dates for the outlets have not yet been decided, but Tesla plans “to sell imported EVs in India … these deals are for showrooms, not service centres,” the first person said, adding that Tesla will operate the outlets.