India’s first Tesla car registered in Mumbai

It is the 16th electric vehicle registered in Mumbai during the current financial year.

India’s first Tesla X, a high-end electric car with self-driving capability, was registered at the Tardeo Regional Transport Office (RTO) on Friday. The car, a premium sport utility vehicle (SUV), is owned by Prashant Ruia, CEO of business conglomerate Essar.

Tesla Motors' cars are displayed at the company's new showroom in Manhattan's Meatpacking District in New York City, US, December 14, 2017. (Reuters)

“Being an electric vehicle, it is exempted from RTO taxes and cess,” said a RTO source, adding that generally, a tax of Rs20 lakh is charged on imported vehicles that cost more than Rs1 crore.

It is the 16th electric vehicle registered in Mumbai during the current financial year. Nine have been registered at Tardeo RTO, three each at Andheri RTO and Borivli RTO and one at Wadala RTO. Recently, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking added five electric buses to its fleet, which are plying on the streets of south Mumbai.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government wants only electric vehicles to ply on India’s roads by 2030 as part of its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under the global agreement on climate change, and to reduce spending on oil imports.