Back in April this year, we reported that Tesla is all set to set up shop in India, and today, all because of Rushlane, we can confirm that the Model 3 has been spied testing on the roads of Pune, India, for on-road testing.
The Elon Musk-led company will carry out its business from Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai for starters, and the first model for the Indian buyers looks set to be the Model 3. Prototypes of Model 3 will also be used for ARAI approvals and other compliances, as also reported by Rushlane.
It is said that during the initial phase, the Model 3 will be brought to India as CBU with the official launch happening later this year or early next year. Considering the price and performance-wise the Model 3 will compete with the E-Class, 5 Series, and A6, Tesla will look into the manufacturing and local assembly of its models in India depending upon the amount of response it receives for the Model 3.
Tesla already has a local assembly plant as well as an R&D facility planned, as confirmed by Karnataka CM, BS Yediyurappa. Previously, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari also requested Tesla to consider local manufacturing operation of their electric cars in India to avail additional incentives.
For the uninitiated, the Model 3 serves as the entry-level model in Tesla’s portfolio consisting of Model S, Model Y, and Model X. The Model 3 can be had in three different versions if you may – Standard Range Plus, Long Range, and Performance. The range ranges from anything between 381km to 580km according to WLTP. When it arrives at the Indian shores, it is expected that the Model 3 will be priced between INR 55-60L.
