NEW DELHI (AP) — Tesla Inc. opened its first showroom in India on Tuesday, marking the electric vehicle maker’s long-anticipated debut in the world’s third-biggest automotive market.
Located in the Bandra-Kurla Complex, an upscale business center in the financial capital Mumbai, the showroom will serve as Tesla’s flagship retail and experience outlet as the company introduces its EV lineup to Indian customers.
Tesla’s entry to India comes after years of delays and policy friction, marking a pivotal expansion in a fast-growing consumer base while global sales are plunging and the company faces challenges in its two core markets, China and the U.S.
Sales of Tesla electric cars fell sharply from April to June as boycotts over Elon Musk’s political views continued keeping buyers away.
For India, Tesla’s entry signals rising investor confidence and strengthens its move towards clean mobility, although Tesla’s higher pricing is likely to make its cars unaffordable for most Indians.
The country’s nascent electric vehicle market made up a little more than 2% of total car sales last year. But the government wants to change that and increase the electric vehicle share to 30% by 2030.
