Tesla Motors is set to ship the Model 3 to India. Chairman and CEO Elon Musk confirmed yesterday after the global unveiling of the Model 3 that the Palo Alto based electric carmaker has added India to its list of countries you can order the Model 3 from. One person can order a maximum of two Model 3s at a reservation charge of $1000 (Rs 66,350) ‘to be fair as possible’ to everyone. Production is scheduled to commence in late 2017 and delivery to RHD markets will begins soon after production ramps up.
Prices in the USA start at Rs 23 lakh for the base Model 3 so expect its prices in India to be around the Rs 70-75 lakh mark depending on customs duty and other additional taxes. That is without considering the discounts and tax sops on electric cars in various regions of the country.
The all-electric Model 3 won’t be a slow car, Musk clearly stating “we don’t make slow cars”. The base Model 3 can do the 0-100kmph run in less than six seconds and comes with a range of at least 346km. Tesla hasn’t revealed detailed specifications yet. What we do know is that it will seat five adults, gets a 5-star safety rating in all categories, and comes with auto pilot among other safety features.
Like other cars in the Tesla range, it is supercharging compatible, which means that when connected to Tesla’s supercharger, you can get half a charge in just 20 minutes. Tesla’s supercharger network is now spread across the USA, most parts of Europe and in Asia, in China and Japan. Now that India has been added to the list of countries where the Model 3 is going to be shipped to, expect Superchargers to come to India in the future as well.
The problem with electric cars today besides from range anxiety is the availability of charging stations. Tesla at present has 3,608 superchargers and 3,689 destination chargers. With the launch of the Model 3, Tesla Motors’ most affordable model, the company wants to improve its global footprint. By the end of 2017, the aim is to build a worldwide infrastructure of 7,200 superchargers and 15,000 destination chargers.
The reach goes beyond Tesla’s charging network. There are 215 sales and service outlets across North America, Asia Pacific and Europe right now. It will more than double to 441 locations by the end of next year.