Buying A Tesla In India Might Not Be Logical, Here’s Why…

Tesla has finally arrived in India, and that’s good news for the Indian automotive industry and the electric car space in particular. The Model Y is their first EV to hit the roads, and it can be booked as well, with its prices starting from Rs 58.89 lakh (ex-showroom). However, buying a Tesla in India currently won’t be the most logical choice, and you might as well consider other options available in the market. 

In this report, we take you through the reasons why you might want to look past the Tesla Model Y or rethink purchasing it…

Heavy Taxation

We all know that the government charges heavy duties for imports, and Tesla cars also suffer from that. The Model Y comes as a completely built-up unit (CBU) and faces a 70 percent import duty plus GST. So a car that costs around Rs 30 lakh in the USA becomes nearly twice as expensive on our shores. 

The good news is that with the India-USA trade talks, chances are that import duties could go down significantly, and then Tesla might be more pocket-friendly in the future. Apart from this, Tesla is also considering local assembly in India, which might drastically help in curbing down the prices.

So while the Model Y might seem expensive currently, the SUV, along with future Tesla models, might become more affordable, and that is when purchasing it will make more sense. 

Self-Driving: Not For India? 

Self-driving might be a cool feature in cars abroad, and even useful in many cases. However, it is not something that is suitable for Indian road conditions. The self-driving system in India might not be able to understand the complex scenarios of our roads, whether it is an animal rushing towards the car or a driver changing directions or simply accounting for the mistakes of the drivers around. While it is not something to be proud of, driving in India is different from most places, and in all honesty, we don’t think we are ready for self-driving cars. 

Moreover, even if it happens and Tesla manages to pull it off, the owners who are away from the driving seat might be constantly worried about what’s happened next, wondering if the car will be able to tackle an unforeseen situation. I am sure there are other things in life to stress over.. 

Charging Network

Yes, Tesla has arranged for superchargers across major cities, and they will be functional from Q3 of 2025. However, the availability of them in rural areas or tier 2 cities might still be a concern. One of Tesla’s USPs abroad is its superchargers and their network, but that might not be the case in India, at least for a significant period of time. That being said, Tesla will be installing charging stations across major cities and also provide a home charging station. 

One Screen For Everything! 

While the minimalist design approach and modernism of cars might be a good thing, it takes away the practicality of good old physical buttons. The Model Y comes with almost no physical buttons, and everything from your drive selector to your AC controls is in the 15.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The unit is lag-free and crisp, but with so many functions built into it, using it might get confusing for many. While it's a rare possibility, if something goes wrong with the display, then you might end up feeling handicapped. 

Another aspect of this overdependency on the screen is that most Indians are still not naturally comfortable using a large screen, wherein every function, including basic steering controls, is embedded into the screen. We understand that in the USA, cars can drive on their own, and you might get time to play around with the massive screen. But in India, it might not be logical to drive in the busy streets and figure out where the AC controls are. 

Moreover, most of the Tesla owners will be chauffeured around, and it might not be easy for the drivers to understand or operate the laptop-like screen in the centre. 

Rivals That Cannot Be Ignored

The Model Y, for sure, is expensive, and for the price it comes, it feels less value-for-money when compared to the rivals. Most of the features that you get with the Model Y are offered with luxury EVs that are around Rs 15-20 lakh more affordable. The BYD Sealion 7 and Seal, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and BMW iX1 LWB are all cheaper and on par in terms of equipment. Indian manufacturers like Mahindra and Tata, too, cannot be ignored, as they offer promising EVs like the BE 6, XEV 9e and Harrier EV all under Rs 30 lakh. 

Even if you take performance into account, the Model Y’s 0-100 kmph timing of 5.6 seconds is respectable, but rivals like the BYD Seal, Sealion 7 and even the Kia EV6 are much quicker. That being said, even the Harrier EV and XEV 9e are not far behind. The Harrier EV is, in fact, just slower by 0.7 seconds when you compare its sprint times. 

In terms of designs, too, most of the rivals look spectacular, to say the least. 

More Teslas To Come 

It is also important to note that the Model Y is not the best of Tesla, and is in fact their entry-level model abroad. The Model X, Model S and Model 3 are set to arrive in 2026, and those models might prove to be more exciting and attractive at the high price point. Furthermore, if Tesla manages to bring down the prices of their EVs in India, then some of the other models could easily be a no-brainer. Let’s also keep in mind that Tesla will probably also bring the AWD versions to India, offering much more power and enhanced capabilities. 

ZigSays…

Well, there are plenty of wealthy people in India who won’t really care about the pointers mentioned above and simply go ahead and still get themselves a Tesla. And that’s not a bad thing. If you have earned your money, you should spend it as per your will, even if it’s not the most logical purchase. Moreover, the Tesla will also be something that many would buy to show off and also to stand out among other EVs, proving to be a status symbol. Your society, where you live, might have a couple of Tata Harrier EVs in a few months, but your Tesla will be rare, and you might probably be the only one to purchase it. 

That being said, we highly recommend that you purchase the Model Y only after saying no to every other rival. This article is not to criticise Tesla in any manner, but just to give the buyer a fair understanding of what they are getting into, and if they should get into it or not.