Tesla scouting factory locations in India, and already producing vehicles for imports

Native stories in India declare that Tesla is already scouting manufacturing unit areas within the nation and began producing autos for imports.

Final month, we reported that India lastly got here up with a compromise on its excessive import duties on automobiles to open the door for Tesla and other EV automakers to launch in the country.

The deal includes drastically lowering import duties for a restricted variety of electrical autos so long as the automaker makes a big funding and dedication to construct an electrical automobile manufacturing unit in India.

Just some weeks after asserting the brand new program, it appears like Tesla is already trying to make the most of it.

The Financial Times stories that Tesla is making ready to ship a group to scout for a manufacturing unit location this month:

Tesla will this month ship a group to scout areas in India for a proposed $2bn-$3bn electrical automobile plant, based on two individuals with direct information of the electrical automobile firm’s plans.

The automaker will reportedly “give attention to states with current automotive hubs, together with Maharashtra and Gujarat within the west and Tamil Nadu within the south.”

Individually, Reuters stories that Tesla has already began producing right-hand drive automobiles out of Gigafactory Berlin for the Indian market:

Tesla has begun manufacturing of right-hand drive automobiles at its plant in Germany for export to India later this 12 months, three individuals conscious of the corporate’s plans instructed Reuters, because it strikes forward with a attainable entry into the world’s third-largest automobile market.

This is a little more shocking as Tesla usually builds Superchargers and repair facilities earlier than beginning to deliver automobiles to the market.

Furtermore, Tesla didn’t open orders in India simply.

Electrek’s Take

I’d take these stories with a grain of salt for the explanations talked about above. Nonetheless, it does make sense for Tesla to maneuver into the Indian market quickly.

Whereas this system introduced by the federal government final month was explicitly about Tesla, the automaker was recognized to be negotiating for the same compromise over the previous couple of years.