Elon Musk’s Tesla set to open first India centre in Gurugram on…; check details

Electric car maker Tesla is set to strengthen its presence in India with the opening of its first full-fledged headquarters in Gurugram this month; This marks a significant milestone in its bid to expand volumes and retail visibility in a market dominated by European luxury EV manufacturers.

The move comes at a time when the US automaker is facing headwinds globally, from slowing demand in China to cautious investors at home and pushing India higher on its list of strategic priorities. The Gurugram center comes after experience centers opened in Mumbai and Delhi earlier this year.

India becomes Tesla’s 50th global market after it launched two versions of the fully imported Model Y starting at Rs 59.89 lakh. The Model Y heading to India carries a 70 percent import duty, nearly 30 percent higher than U.S. price tags, making it among the most expensive models anywhere in the world.

But despite the high prices, early interest was remarkable. Data obtained from the Federation of Automobile Dealers Association shows that Tesla registered 104 units in retail sales in September and October, registered on the Vahan portal.

The company is now counting on its new head in India, Sharad Agarwal, to gain momentum. Agarwal, who took over last November, has almost a decade of experience in the luxury automotive space, having led Lamborghini India and served as sales director at Audi India.

His appointment signals Tesla’s intention to further enter a market where German rivals Mercedes-Benz and BMW currently dominate almost 80 percent of luxury EV sales.

Timing is very important. While Tesla’s global sales rose just 7 percent year-on-year to 4,97,100 units in the September quarter, China deliveries fell to 26,006 units in October, a three-year low, due to increased competition and cooling demand.

Competition in the premium EV space is becoming increasingly crowded; Tesla’s main rivals in India are the BMW iX1, Mercedes-Benz EQA, Volvo EC40, Kia EV6 and BYD Sealion 7 in a segment that recorded sales of 460 to 480 units in October alone.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from IANS.)