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Despite struggling with weak sales in India—having sold just over 100 cars since its much-publicized July debut—Tesla has opened its largest sales and service hub in the country. Located in Gurugram, this new center combines an experience showroom, charging, and after-sales services under one roof. Sources indicate the EV giant is now prioritizing strengthening India's EV ecosystem to revive its sales momentum.
The Elon Musk owned EV maker has been struggling to get a foothold in India since its launch in July, receiving bookings for barely over 600 cars till mid-September, according to media reports.
Dealership data shows only a small portion of these bookings converted into sales since deliveries started in September, even as competitor models in the premium category, from brands like BMW, BYD and Mercedes Benz reported robust sales aided by festive demand and tax cuts.
The EV maker's plan to improve sales is said to include a three-pronged strategy to increase adoption, install more charging stations across the country and boost customer experience.
For Tesla, the steep upfront price of its cars is another challenge. But speaking at the Tesla Centre launch in Gurugram, India head Sharad Agarwal said buyers can recoup up to two million rupees ($22,400; £16,900) over four years on fuel and maintenance - a third of the price of its Model Y sold here.
EVs make up less than 3% of passenger vehicle sales in India, and charging infrastructure has been slow to develop - the country has only around 25,000 charging stations.
Tesla's cars can be charged at home, adding up to 44 miles (70.8km) of range per hour. The company is also expanding its network, including superchargers that can deliver about 170 miles in 15 minutes.
The company's profits fell in October despite record quarterly revenue, boosted by a last-minute rush from US buyers to claim an expiring tax credit.
