World's leading electric vehicle manufacturer, Teasla Inc, will enter the Indian market with the Model 3 electric sedan by the end of 2021. Recently, the car has been spied testing on Indian soil for the very first time. It is said to be one of the three prototype units that Tesla has brought to India for testing purposes.
For those who aren't aware, the American automaker's firm has already been registered in India as Tesla India Motors and Energy Private Limited and set up it's base in Bengaluru (Karnataka). The brand is expected to establish its headquarters in Mumbai (Maharashtra). Even Tesla has also started to look for showroom space in major cities of India, including New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore.
While Tesla’s EVs are known for their long-range and performance, they are not budget-friendly at all. And as per the current information, Tesla is likely to commence its India sales operations via the CBU route from the company’s Gigafactory in Shanghai (China), which would undoubtedly put its prices high. But if there’s a healthy response from customers, they will consider local production as well. In fact, Karnataka's CM BS Yediyurappa has also stated about Tesla's plan to open its manufacturing unit in Karnataka. However, there is no official word from Tesla on this yet.
Speaking about the Model 3, it is currently the most affordable EV in Tesla's portfolio. It comes in four variants: Standard-Range (RWD – rear-wheel-drive), Standard-Range Plus (RWD), Long-Range (AWD – all-wheel-drive), and Long-Range Performance (AWD), with battery packs ranging from 50kWh to 75kWh. Only the Standard and Long-Range variants are supposed to be launched in India initially.
The Standard variants come with a single motor while the Long-Range and Performance variants get dual electric motors. The Standard variants of Model 3 have a top speed of 225kmph and can sprint from 0-60mph in just 5.3 seconds. It offers a range of up to 423km on a single charge. The Long-Range and Performance variants, on the other hand, have a top speed of 234kmph and 261kmph respectively and offer a driving range of up to 569 kilometers per charge.
Expect the prices of the Tesla Model 3 to start from around Rs 60 lakh (ex-showroom).
