Tesla to launch its $35,000 'Model 3' electric sedan in India

Deliveries of the vehicle, set to enter production in 2017, will be staggered in different regions based on local regulatory conditions

Silicon Valley-based electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla Motors plans to begin taking orders for its most affordable car yet, the $35,000 Model 3, in India. The car, which will be unveiled shortly, is expected to enter production in late 2017, with the company kicking off deliveries in North America soon after.

Billionaire and Tesla Motor CEO Elon Musk, in a tweet said, “Adding several more countries to Model 3 order page tonight. Check for details, but will include India, Brazil, SA, SK, NZ, Sing (Singapore) & Ireland.”

In a blog post, Tesla said that deliveries will be staggered depending on region, as regulators in different parts of the world require small production changes. As the company ramps up production, it would bring the Model 3 to Europe, APAC and right-hand-drive markets such as India and the UK.

 

First in line #Model3 https://t.co/F2vulJPDg2 pic.twitter.com/E6etKjlZn4

— Tesla Motors (@TeslaMotors) March 29, 2016

This isn’t the first tryst of Tesla with India. Last year Musk had tweeted that setting up a Gigafactory (a massive lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant) in India would make sense in the long term given the country’s renewable energy needs. He earlier met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Silicon Valley where they discussed renewables and their potential in rural electrification.

In India, there is an increased push for electric vehicles which produce no emissions. The governments of Delhi and Karnataka have eliminated all local taxes on electric vehicles making them more affordable and accessible to more people. Further, under the National Electric Mobility Mission plan, the central government is planning to offer subsidies on electric vehicles further boosting their sales.

Tesla is considered the most successful electric car manufacturer in the world, with its $80,000 Model S taking on luxury sedans from giants Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW. The Model 3 on the other hand, it’s most affordable car, will go head to head in the entry-level luxury car segment taking on heavyweights such as the BMW 3-Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

The company’s plans to open orders in India drew the attention of new-age technology company leaders. Vijay Shekhar Sharma, co-founder and CEO of Paytm, re-tweeted Musk’s initial remark, while Vishal Gondal, the founder of GOQii tweeted to Musk asking, “Where/when can I pre-order for India Red colour?