It could be a real game-shift for the India auto industry: Tesla, the giant of electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers, is all set to set the stage for its first in-house production plant in Gujarat, India. Ahmedabad Mirror has provided the scoop, that some official announcement is on the horizon during the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in January ‘2024. Who’s likely make an appearance? could be Elon Musk, the Tesla CEO, himself!
Why Gujarat? There are plenty of strategic advantages in favor, what with the positive business landscape as well as principle location. And now, it has gotten the status of being the ideal place for Tesla’s manufacturing adventures. The state governing body, have proposed a handful of names, that includes Sanand, Dholera, and Becharaji, as possible homes for the new Tesla factory. All of these moves are in line with Tesla’s big dream – providing for domestic and foreign demand, including exports, just from their Indian production center!
Now, there’s been a lot of hot air about when Tesla step into the Indian market. Constant chatters are going on between the giant company and our government on matters of deal and regulation stuff. The official stand being, no subsidy will be provided on EV imports; however, recent reports suggest that the company might just be handed the ability to bring across fully-built cars at a concessional import duty of a measly 15-20% – quite the fall from a whopping 100% duty charged on such imports at present.
However! There does lie a condition, This whole deal lies on the promise of Tesla setting up a production factory over here. Fail to fulfill this, and well, duty benefits could pull a disappearing act. While we all are excited about the huge potential move by Tesla, there needs to be a balance! Indian EV manufacturers like Tata Motors and Nahindra do have a point; they are worried about the idea of giving a VIP treatment to the American company, emphasizing the work they are doing for building Indian automotive land.
Gujarat, ain’t new to this. It’s already a pretty nice place for manufacturing units of big automobile players like Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, MG. Its strong point in the auto industry is likely to be cemented, with Tesla’s rumoured plans to start a car production plant right here. Musk’s ongoing talks and hints would finally take a concrete shape with an official announcement in the Vibrant Gujarat 2024 Summit, what a great start to the new year would it be?
Recently, Rushikesh Patel, Gujarat’s Health Minister, spilled some beans about the high odds of Gujarat getting the honor of hosting Tesla’s first factory! He mentioned that the area is home to many other automakers anyway, while expressing his hope that Musk puts Tesla in the city. The carpet is all set to unfold during the Vibrant Gujarat 2024 summit, January 10, 2024.
Tesla’s decision, a big shot in the global EV industry with factories in the U.S., Germany, and China, shows that it is all set to cater to the Indian market’s rising demand for electric vehicles! The weather is bright for electric vehicles in India. Importantly, this will change the perspective of many regarding Tesla’s luxurious image. The iconic brand might not only become a common name in Indian households, but specific pricing structures are also, could be expected, making Tesla’s electric cars accessible enough to the Indian public.
