Tesla set for India debut as transport ministry green-lights four models

Tesla Inc is closer to making its official debut in India after it received approval to make or import four models in the South Asian nation.

Tesla has had its vehicles certified as being roadworthy in India, a posting on the website of the nation’s ministry of road transport and highways showed.

“The tests ensure the vehicle matches the requirements of the Indian market in terms of emission and safety and roadworthiness,” according to the site. A Tesla fan club earlier tweeted about the development, saying the cars were probably Model 3 and Model Y variants, as per an agency report.

Gaining a foothold in the Indian car market won’t be easy considering EVs account for only 1% of the nation’s annual car sales and Tesla’s automobiles are very expensive. 

Scant charging infrastructure and a lack of financing for companies wanting to develop electric cars are other reasons why India is behind in the electric shift.

The country’s high tax regime is another roadblock. Tesla CEO Elon Musk last month tweeted that import duties in India are among the highest in the world and the nation treats clean energy vehicles the same as gasoline, which isn’t consistent with its climate goals. 

The billionaire has said a factory in India is “quite likely” if the California-based carmaker can first test the waters by importing vehicles.