Team Blitz India
Tesla is sending a team from the United States to India by late-April to study sites for a proposed $2 billion to $3 billion electric car plant, the Financial Times reported on March 3.
Tesla officials have been in talks with government officials over the last year, with CEO Elon Musk meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June The EV maker will focus on states that have automotive hubs such as Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, the report said.
While Haryana, neighbouring New Delhi, could also be considered, the focus appears to be on states with port facilities, facilitating easier export of cars, according to the report.
The company has been trying to enter India for years but New Delhi wanted a commitment to local manufacturing.
India’s EV market, small but growing, is dominated by domestic carmaker Tata Motors. Tesla’s entry into the Indian market could spur more EV investments and benefit local auto parts makers, analysts have said.
According to sources, Tesla has started production of a limited number of its standard brands to compete in the Indian market in its factory in Germany.
