Tesla enters India with Model Y launch, first showroom in Mumbai

Marking a significant milestone in its electric vehicle (EV) journey, Tesla officially entered the Indian market on Tuesday with the inauguration of its first showroom at Maker Maxity mall in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai’s prominent commercial hub. The launch, kept under wraps and internally referred to as 'Operation Peacock', also includes a service centre and warehouse located approximately six kilometres from the showroom.

The electric vehicle giant, led by Elon Musk, has begun its India innings with the launch of the Model Y, a premium mid-range SUV, offered in two variants — Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) and Long Range RWD. The RWD variant is priced at Rs 59.89 lakh, while the Long Range RWD comes in at Rs 67.89 lakh (on-road prices). Both models are currently being imported from Tesla’s Shanghai facility, attracting an import duty of nearly 70 per cent, which has significantly pushed up the Indian prices compared to US.

In the United States, the same Long Range RWD variant starts at $37,490 (around Rs 32.18 lakh), almost half the Indian pricing. The steep difference underscores the impact of India’s import tariffs, although there is speculation that Tesla may consider local assembly in future to mitigate costs.

The Model Y RWD offers a driving range of up to 500 km, while the Long Range RWD variant extends that to 622 km on a single charge. The top speed for both versions is 201 kmph, with acceleration from 0 to 100 kmph achieved in 5.9 seconds for the RWD and 5.6 seconds for the Long-Range version.

Tesla’s Indian website lists six exterior colour options — Stealth Grey (standard), Pearl White Multi-Coat, Diamond Black, Glacier Blue, Quick Silver and Ultra Red. Buyers opting for any colour other than Stealth Grey will need to pay additional charges. Interior options include a standard ‘All Black’ trim and an optional ‘Black and White’ theme, priced at Rs 95,000 extra.

Inside, the Model Y boasts a 15.4-inch infotainment touchscreen in the front row and an 8-inch screen in the rear, along with ambient lighting, aluminium trim, and a hands-free power-operated boot. The first row features heated and ventilated seats with power recline, while the second row offers powered two-way folding and heating functions.

On the safety front, the Model Y includes advanced features such as automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, blind spot detection, and lane departure avoidance. Tesla’s Dashcam and Sentry Mode offer real-time recording while driving and security monitoring when the vehicle is parked.

Tesla has also confirmed that the India-spec Model Y does not yet include self-driving capabilities. Buyers will have to pay an additional Rs 6 lakh for this feature once it becomes available.

Tesla is offering finance plans with EMIs starting at Rs 1.14 lakh for the RWD variant and Rs 1.29 lakh for the Long-Range version. The corresponding down payments are Rs 6.20 lakh and Rs 7.01 lakh, respectively.

The company is offering a four-year or 80,000 km warranty on the vehicle and an eight-year or 1,92,000 km warranty on the battery and drive unit, whichever comes first.

As part of its India strategy, Tesla will install four charging stations each in Mumbai and Delhi, comprising 16 superchargers and 16 destination chargers per city. The company demonstrated its fast-charging technology during the launch, highlighting that a 267 km range can be achieved with just 15 minutes of charging using a supercharger.

Speaking at the event, Isabelle Fan, Tesla’s regional director, took attendees through the company’s journey since 2008, underlining Tesla’s mission to accelerate the global transition to sustainable energy.

While Tesla is tight-lipped about its long-term manufacturing and retail roadmap in India, reports suggest that Delhi is likely to be the next city to get a Tesla showroom. However, a formal timeline for this expansion has not been disclosed.

Six Model Y vehicles have already landed in India and are available for order.

Industry analysts see Tesla’s entry as a significant boost to India’s EV ecosystem, even as high import tariffs remain a barrier to wider affordability. Much will now depend on whether the company decides to commit to local production — a move that could reshape the premium EV landscape in the country.