Tesla, the electric vehicle company led by Elon Musk, has secured a deal to establish its inaugural showroom in India, located in the upscale Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai, as reported by the Times of India. The showroom will span 4,000 square feet on the ground floor of a commercial tower in BKC. Tesla is reportedly paying one of the highest commercial rents in the area at ₹900 per square foot, amounting to approximately ₹35 lakh per month.
In terms of Tesla’s presence in India, the company has finalized a five-year lease in BKC and is also in the process of launching a second showroom in Aerocity, Delhi. This lease agreement comes shortly after Musk’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter’s recent visit to the United States. Following this meeting, Tesla posted job listings for 13 positions in India.
During their discussion, PM Modi highlighted various topics, including space, mobility, technology, and innovation, while also addressing India’s commitment to reform and the principle of “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance.”
Regarding Tesla’s pricing strategy in India, earlier reports indicated that the company is contemplating importing vehicles from its Berlin facility to sell in the Indian market. Tesla aims to introduce an electric vehicle priced below $25,000. For context, Tesla’s vehicles in the U.S. start at around $35,000 (approximately ₹30.4 lakh) at the factory level, with the Model 3 being the most affordable option.
While Musk has not yet committed to manufacturing in India, Tesla is reportedly sourcing over a billion dollars’ worth of components from the country, with expectations for this figure to increase significantly in the coming months.
