Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde took a brand new Tesla car out for a ride, a day after the Elon Musk-owned American electric vehicle manufacturer opened its first ever showroom in Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex.
Shinde took the car, which seems like the Pearl White version of Tesla's Model Y, out for a test drive outside the Mumbai Assembly on Wednesday. Surrounded by reporters and security personnel, Shinde's test drive of lavish white Tesla car started on a slow note, show videos.
The deputy chief minister also attended the inauguration of the Tesla showroom in Mumbai and said the carmaker chose the “right city and state”, reported News 18.
{{/usCountry}}The deputy chief minister also attended the inauguration of the Tesla showroom in Mumbai and said the carmaker chose the “right city and state”, reported News 18.
{{/usCountry}}Also read: ‘Dear Elon bhai’: Indians react to expensive Tesla model with humour, memes
For Tesla, India is the 50th global market it has captured where it is offering two versions of its popular Model Y electric cars. The showroom that Tesla has opened at Maker Maxity Commercial Complex is a 4000-square-foot-space, which has the company logo displayed in black against a white wall.
Tesla's second showroom is expected to open in Delhi in July, with the firm already initiating local hiring and arranging for warehouse space in the Capital.
Also read: Tesla enters Indian market with Mumbai showroom: Check models, price, speed and other details
Tesla Model Y price in India
For the Model Y Tesla cars launched in India, base price (excluding road tax and other fees) for the rear-wheel drive (RWD) vehicle with a range of 500 km would be ₹59.89 lakh (~$69,650), while the long-range variant (622 km) would start from ₹67.89 lakh (~$78,950).
This is about a third more than the United States where the car is priced at $46,630 (~ ₹40 lakh). This is due to the 70 per cent to 110 per cent tariffs imposed on imported cars.
According to Tesla officials, bookings for the cars have already begun despite the high prices. Deliveries for the car are expected to start from the December quarter for the RWD and the March quarter for the long-range variant.