The launch of Tesla's highly anticipated Model 3 electric sedan could be delayed due to its low ground clearance. Yes, you read it right. The 140mm ground clearance of the Tesla Model 3 was found insufficient for Indian roads during testing. As a result, the Model Y crossover could become the debut Tesla model for the Indian market. The brand has already started its testing on our soil.
According to the reports, the Indian arm of IDIADA Automotive Technology found that the testing model of the Tesla Model 3 bottomed out on 160 of the 200-speed breakers it attempted. Thus, the engineering company has advised the automaker to re-engineer the suspension setup of the EV to increase its ground clearance to at least 165mm, that's a rise of 25mm.
It is worth noting that low ground clearance is a common concern among electric vehicles as it has been done to increase their aerodynamics, and thus, achieve better range. The problem gets compounded when they are built around a longer wheelbase because low ground clearance and a long wheelbase add up to a lower breakover angle, which is ideally not suitable at least for countries like India where the road conditions are not that great, and most of the speed breakers haven't built as per Indian Road Congress (IRC) guidelines.
In other updates, Tesla is in talks with the Indian government seeking a reduction in import duties on electric vehicles. But, the Ministry of Heavy Industries urges the EV maker to start production in India before admitting any request for tax benefits. On the other hand, the American EV giant first wants to examine the demand here by offering Completely Built-Up units before setting up the Giga factory in India for local manufacturing.
