Tesla Cruises into India with First Showroom in Mumbai

"Ssee you at the charging station", tweets Anand Mahindra of  Mahindra Group

July 16, 2025 - Elon Musk’s Tesla marks its arrival into India with the opening of its first Tesla showroom, Experience Centre, in Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex on July 15, 2025 . The showroom, at the Maker Maxity Mall, spans roughly 4,000 sq ft and showcases two variants of the Model Y -  the standard Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) and the Long‑Range RWD models - both imported as fully built units from China’s Shanghai and Berlin gigafactories .

Prices are premium by Indian standards. The RWD starts at around Rs 59.89 lakh, while the Long-Range RWD is priced at Rs 67.89 lakh (approximately $79,000), reflecting deeply embedded import duties. Some estimates suggest that tariffs hike the cost by over Rs 21 lakh per car .

The cars are currently on display and available for test drives. Tesla plans to begin deliveries in Q3 2025, that is only after September 2025, competing directly with luxury German marques in India’s nascent EV segment, which currently accounts for just around 2-4% of overall vehicle sales .

The launch was inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who said, "We wish to see research and development and manufacturing being done in India. I am sure Tesla will think about it at an appropriate stage. Consider Maharashtra as a partner in your journey."

Mahindra Group’s Anand Mahindra emphasised the move as a vital booster for India’s clean-energy mobility sector. He welcome Tesla with the tweet, “Competition drives innovation… see you at the charging station.”.

Delhi is now Tesla’s next stop, after Mumbai. The company plans to open its second showroom in the capital.  

Tesla India is already hiring across sales, service and operations roles in major cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Pune, hinting at a longer-term presence in the country. While there are no confirmed plans for an Indian gigafactory yet, Tesla is expected to monitor market response before launching local production.

The entry follows a policy shift. India recently reduced EV import duties (for vehicles under $35,000) from as high as 70-100% to around 15%, provided automakers commit to local manufacturing within three years.