Tesla Launches First Showroom in Mumbai, Expanding Presence in India

Tesla's Entry into the Indian Market

Mumbai, July 15: Tesla, the electric vehicle manufacturer led by Elon Musk, is poised to make its debut in India with the inauguration of its first showroom in Mumbai on Tuesday. The event will feature the launch of the Model Y and Model S, attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

While Tesla is not yet producing vehicles locally, this showroom, referred to as an 'experience centre', occupies a 4,000 square foot space located near Apple's flagship store in the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC).

Industry analysts suggest that this initiative is part of Tesla's larger strategy to expand its footprint in India. Recently, the company secured a commercial space in Kurla West, Mumbai, which is anticipated to function as a vehicle service center.

Currently, Tesla holds four commercial properties in India, which include an engineering hub in Pune, a registered office in Bengaluru, and a temporary office near BKC. The company has leased a 24,500-square-foot area in Kurla West for its service center, conveniently located near the new showroom.

Tesla has entered into a lease agreement with Bellissimo in City FC Mumbai I Private for a space in Lodha Logistics Park. This five-year agreement starts with a monthly rent of Rs 37.53 lakh, totaling nearly Rs 25 crore over the lease term, which includes a security deposit of Rs 2.25 crore, according to official documents.

It is important to note that Tesla's current focus is solely on selling vehicles in India, with no plans for local manufacturing at this time. Union Heavy Industries Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy stated last month that Tesla's intentions are strictly related to sales operations.

In parallel, the Indian government has introduced guidelines for its progressive EV scheme aimed at attracting new investments from international manufacturers in the electric vehicle sector.