The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
‘Tesla scouts for its first India showroom locations’
US ELECTRIC carmaker Tesla is lookingatpotentialshowroomlocationsinnewdelhiandmumbai ahead of plans to begin sales in Indialaterthisyear,twopeoplefamiliar with the discussions said.
Tesla, which saw its global vehicle deliveries decline in the first quarter for the first time in nearly fouryears,issteppingupeffortsto expand into new markets.
Itwantstobeginwithashowroomof3,000to5,000squarefeet (280-465 square metres) as well as a service hub in each city, said oneofthepeoplefamiliarwiththe plans. The automaker has begun production of right-hand drive carsatitsplantingermanyforexport to India, separate sources have said.
India last month cut electric vehicleimporttaxesto15percent from as much as 100 per cent for automakers that invest at least $500 million and set up a factory.
Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk is expected to make an investment announcement and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a two-day visit to India from Sunday. Musk and Modilastmetinnewyorkinjune.
Tesla executives started looking at locations last month and have held talks with several real estate developers as they look at potentialhighstreetandmallsites, oneofthesourcessaid.theperson addedthatthecompanyiskeento begin construction soon so that theshowroomscanopenin2024. The sources declined to be identifiedasdiscussionswereconfidential. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Tesla is grappling with slower growthforelectricvehiclesinboth its main markets of the United Statesandchina.reuters reported this month that Tesla has cancelled a long-promised inexpensive car that investors have been counting on to drive mass market growth.