A blue Tesla Model 3 was recently spotted whizzing around on the streets of Pune, possibly a test mule as Tesla charts its launch in India. It was reported earlier that Tesla would import three Model 3s in India for test purposes and ARAI approval. The company is already registered its subsidiary Tesla Indian Motors & Energy Pvt Ltd in Bengaluru, Karnataka. It is expected to have its India headquarters in Mumbai and showrooms in cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. The Model 3 is the most affordable Tesla and will likely be the very first Tesla to launch here.
Tesla’s global product line up consists of the Model S sedan, the Model X SUV, Model 3 compact model and the Model Y compact crossover. India being a price-sensitive market, we expect Tesla to make its debut in India with the Model 3. But as India is a big market for small SUVs, Model Y cannot be ruled out.
Also read: Tesla’s India entry confirmed in 2021: Model 3 electric car first to kickstart sales
The Model 3 is a sedan that claims a 0-100 km/h time of 3.1 seconds and a range of 500 km+ from the top variant. It isn’t known yet if all variants of the electric sedan will be launched here. It is likely that since Tesla has huge investments in its Shanghai plant and the Model 3 is made there, the vehicles will come directly from China.
Being a CBU, the car could be priced at about Rs 55 lakh, ex-showroom. Tesla could launch its first car in India by the end of this year. The Tesla Model 3 will be competing against the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, BMW 3 Series, Jaguar XE and the Audi A4.
