Tesla's India sales fall short with only 600 cars ordered since July

The electric vehicle maker now intends to ship between 350 and 500 cars to India this year, with the first batch expected to arrive from Shanghai in early September

Tesla has received orders for just over 600 cars since launching sales in India in mid-July, a figure below the company's own expectations, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday.

 

Deliveries restricted to Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Gurugram

 

The Elon Musk-led electric vehicle maker now plans to ship between 350 and 500 cars to India this year, with the first batch expected to arrive from Shanghai in early September, the report said. Deliveries will initially be restricted to Mumbai, Delhi, Pune and Gurugram. The size of shipments depends on full payments received for the cars and Tesla’s ability to deliver outside the four cities where it has a physical presence.

   

Launch of Model Y in India

 

In July, Tesla launched its Model Y in India for around ₹59.89 lakh, reflecting the country’s high tariffs on imported electric vehicles. The US EV maker has repeatedly lobbied India for lower import duties. Model Y is offered in two India-specific variants: the Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) with a 60kWh battery and the Long Range RWD with a 75kWh battery. Prices start at ₹67.89 lakh, ex-showroom, for the Long Range RWD, while the Full Self-Driving package costs an additional ₹6 lakh.

 

Targeting niche EV segment

 

Facing excess capacity in global factories and declining sales, Tesla has adopted a strategy of selling imported vehicles in India despite duties and levies. With deliveries expected from the third quarter, the company is targeting a niche segment where electric vehicles account for just 4 per cent of overall car sales in the country.

 

Expanding retail presence in Delhi, Gurgaon

 

On August 11, Tesla opened its first showroom in the National Capital Region at Delhi’s Aerocity, marking its second retail outlet within a month of debuting in Mumbai. In March, the company leased showroom space in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) for a starting monthly rent of ₹35.26 lakh, or ₹888 per sq ft per month, for five years. Tesla also leased a 33,475 sq ft space in Gurugram’s Orchid Business Park from Garwal Property, with a super-built-up area of 50,914 sq ft. The facility is expected to function both as a service centre and a sales outlet.

 

Tesla delivered 384,122 vehicles worldwide in the first three months of 2025, down roughly 60,000 units compared with the same period last year. Meanwhile, Chinese competitor BYD surged ahead, selling over one million vehicles in the first half of 2025.