Is Tesla's First Experience Centre in India Opening in Mumbai on July 15?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Tesla is opening its first experience centre in Mumbai on July 15.
- The showroom spans 4,000 square feet and is located near Apple's flagship store.
- Tesla currently has no plans for vehicle manufacturing in India.
- The company has secured four commercial properties in India.
- This move is part of Tesla's broader strategy for expansion in the Indian EV market.
New Delhi, July 11 (NationPress) As Elon Musk's affordable satellite internet service Starlink gears up to finally roll out its services in India, his other enterprise, the electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, is also making strides to commence its operations in the country this month.
Although the company is not yet manufacturing locally, it is set to unveil its inaugural showroom in Mumbai on July 15.
This showroom, referred to as an "experience centre," occupies a substantial 4,000 square feet of retail space, conveniently located near the flagship store of US tech giant Apple in the city.
This initiative is part of Tesla's extensive expansion plan in India. In June, the company secured a commercial space in Kurla West, Mumbai, which is anticipated to function as a vehicle service facility.
Tesla now boasts four commercial properties in India, including an engineering hub in Pune, a registered office in Bengaluru, and a temporary office near BKC.
Tesla India Motor and Energy Private Ltd has leased a 24,500-square-foot area in Kurla West to establish a service centre, strategically situated close to its forthcoming showroom in BKC.
This development signifies a pivotal move in Tesla's ambition to penetrate the Indian electric vehicle (EV) market, though the company does not have immediate plans to manufacture vehicles locally.
Real estate documents obtained from CRE Matrix, a property data analytics firm, reveal that Tesla entered into a lease and license agreement with Bellissimo in City FC Mumbai I Private to occupy space in Lodha Logistics Park.
The contract spans five years, commencing with a monthly rent of Rs 37.53 lakh. Over the duration of the lease, Tesla will disburse nearly Rs 25 crore in total, which includes a security deposit of Rs 2.25 crore, according to the documents.
Tesla has reiterated that its current focus is solely on selling vehicles in India, not on local manufacturing.
"They are not interested in manufacturing in India," remarked Union Heavy Industries Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy last month.
He added that Tesla’s showroom openings in India are purely for sales purposes.
The Indian government has released guidelines for its forward-looking EV scheme to attract new investments from global manufacturers in the electric car sector and to position India as a global manufacturing hub for e-vehicles.