With registration done, it is abundantly clear that Tesla Motor’s plans for India are final and the manufacturer is one step closer to setting up in India.
Tesla Motors enter India
Tesla Motors have been registered as ‘Tesla India Motors and Energy Pvt Ltd’ and they will begin their chapter in India with a research and development centre in Bengaluru. To spearhead operations in this facility, Tesla Motors have appointed three directors; Venkatrangam Sreeram, Vaibhav Taneja, and David Feinstein (Global Senior Director of Tesla).
The company continues to explore ways of manufacturing locally but until that comes together, Tesla cars will arrive in the country via the CBU route. We can expect to see the Model 3 sedan first and it is most likely to come from the factory in China. Word on the street is that it will be priced in the ballpark of Rs 60 lakh (ex-showroom). Bookings for the car will open soon and deliveries are most likely to commence around mid-2021.
The fully-electric Tesla Model 3 dismisses 0-100 km/h within a mere 3.1 seconds and travels for up to 507 km per charge. The car can be had with two independent motors and they are capable of digitally controlling the torque to the front and rear wheels. There are a total of three variants on offer of which two focus on performance and long range while the last one is a standard variant (only rear-wheel-drive). The four-door sedan will be offered with a choice of battery packs as well as drive and output: 60-kWh with a 232-kW rear motor good for 315 hp and 441 Nm or a dual-motor set-up adding a 150-kW front motor for a total of up to 519 hp and 791 Nm. The dual-motor set-up can be had with a larger 75-kWh battery pack.
Tesla’s current range comprises, the Model S, the Model X SUV and the Model Y. One of the highlights of Tesla cars are their autonomous driving abilities but we do not have clarity on how much of that will be usable in India.
Story: Joshua Varghese
