A Tesla car was spotted again on the roads of India, this time in complete camouflage. The car, photographed earlier this week, is speculated to be a dual-motor, all-wheel drive Model 3, with much of the same hardware as the internationally available models. The car was seen in Chakan near Pune. Chakan is also the spot where plants of other companies like Mercedes, Volkswagen, Mahindra, Bajaj are established.
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A blue Tesla was previously spotted on the roads of Pune back in June.
According to reports, Tesla will be using the three Model 3 units it has brought to the country for the sole purpose of on-road testing. Back in June, these were spotted without any camouflage, but newer shots show these in complete camouflage.
The only other Tesla currently in the country, a Model S, belongs to Mukesh Ambani in Mumbai.
After years of speculation, Tesla finally took the plunge into the Indian market late last year. It is expected to bring with itself only its Model 3 for now, the most affordable of its offerings. Initially, all models of Tesla available in the country would be brought in as Completely Built Units (CBU). Tesla has been requested by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to consider manufacturing locally, promising, in return, a cost of production less than anywhere else in the world, but the automobile giant wants to gauge the market before making any commitments.
The response to the initial rollout would determine the company’s stance on assembling the automobiles locally and manufacturing within India. There also is a plan to establish a battery manufacturing unit and an R&D centre in the country.
Tesla currently retails four cars namely Model 3, Model S, Model Y, and Model X, with Model 3 serving as the entry-level car. Model 3 is offered in three variations to international markets; Standard Range Plus, Long Range and Performance, but the latter is not expected in India just yet. The electric sedan offers a single-charge range between 381km – 580km (as per WLTP). It can come with a range between 354 – 523 km and 0-97 km/h time between 3.2 – 5.6 seconds. Within the international markets, the car rivals the Mercedes C-Class and the BMW 3 Series. The pricing expected within India stands around Rs. 55-60 lakh (ex-showroom).
The launch of the Tesla Model 3 electric car can be expected in India by late this year or early on in the next. To begin, the sales of Model 3 will be handled by the company via digital retailing.
