Tesla has received approval to make or import four models in India, making closer to its official debut in the country. An article on the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways website stated that Tesla has had its vehicles certified ensuring the safety and the road friendly. The site also makes sure that these tests ensure that the vehicle matches the requirements of the Indian market in terms of emission and safety and road worthiness.
The cars likely to recieve a green signal may be Model 3 and Model Y variants, as per a Tesla fan club.
Gaining appreciation and uphold in the Indian market is not likely to be a cakewalk. EVs only account for 1 per cent of the nation’s annual car sales, as mentioned in a report in Bloomberg. To top that, Tesla automobiles are very expensive. Additionally, charging infrastructure is still not in place. The move to electric has also been hampered by the lack of financing for companies that want to develop EVs.
But the biggest roadblock Tesla is likely to face is the tax regime. Elon Musk had tweeted earlier that import duties in India are highest in the world. He said that India treats green energy vehicles in the same manner as petrol vehicles, which is not consistent with the country’s climate goals.
