It’s surely a great news for all Tesla lovers who are waiting for the American auto giant’s Indian arrival. According to ETAuto, Tesla Model 3 bookings will be commenced in India from the next month (i.e. January, 2021). Deliveries, however, will begin by the end of the first quarter of fiscal year 2021-22. In October 2020, Elon Musk, CEO and product architect of Tesla, had confirmed Tesla’s India entry for the next year.
If reports are to be believed, the company is in talks with the Indian government to setup a R&D center in the country. The first Tesla plant is likely to be established in Maharashtra or Kerala. Just so you know, the American carmaker had announced its plan to launch the Tesla Model 3 in India in 2017. In fact, it had opened pre-bookings in 2016. Though, the company delayed its plan due to unfavorable Indian import duties and tax structure.
Following its global retail strategy, Tesla will not have dealerships or outlets in India and it will focus only on digital sales. The Model Y and Model 3 are among the globally popular Tesla cars that accounted 89 percent of the company’s total sales in the third quarter of 2020. Tesla Model 3 sedan’s India launch will help the carmaker boost its global sales. Read – 12 Cool Features That Make Tesla Cybertruck A Super Truck
Talking about the Model 3, the electric sedan comes with a 60kW hour lithium-ion battery pack. It’s available in three variants – Standard Range (RWD – rear-wheel-drive), Standard Range Plus (RWD), Long Range (AWD – all-wheel-drive) and Long Range Performance (AWD).
The model has an electric range between 381km – 580km (as per WLTP). It has been equipped with Tesla’s Autopilot self-driving function, which is standard across the model lineup. In India, the electric sedan from Tesla will be brought via CBU (Completely Built Up) route. Its prices are likely to start around Rs 55 lakh.
