How Tesla entering India with Model 3 can be a huge game changer

Chief Executive Officer of Tesla Motors, Elon Musk, has unveiled its much-anticipated Model 3, five-seater electric sedan - its lowest-cost vehicle to date. Elon said his goal was to produce about 500,000 vehicles a year once production is at full speed. Within a day of the launch, Elon tweeted that 180,000 vehicles had been pre-ordered. Tesla plans to begin taking orders for the $35,000 car in India. It’s expected to enter production in late 2017, reports Business Standard.

In India, there is an increased push for electric vehicles, which produce no emissions. The governments of Delhi and Karnataka have eliminated all local taxes on electric vehicles making them more affordable and accessible to more people. Further, under the National Electric Mobility Mission plan, the central government is planning to offer subsidies on electric vehicles further boosting their sales. Meanwhile, Tech2 has reported that Tesla Model 3 is available for for pre-order in India.

Tesla is considered the most successful electric car manufacturer in the world, with its $80,000 Model S taking on luxury sedans from giants Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW. The Model 3 on the other hand, it’s most affordable car, will go head to head in the entry-level luxury car segment taking on heavyweights such as the BMW 3-Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

Details provided about the Model 3 include:

• The base model will accelerate from zero to 60mph (97km/h) in less than six seconds, other models will go faster
• It will include the "autopilot" safety features found in existing models, which allow the cars to steer themselves and avoid collisions
• It will support "supercharging" as standard, allowing the cars to recharge more quickly at special power stations. Tesla aims to double the number of places offering supercharging to about 7,200 worldwide by the end of 2017
• It provides storage room at the front and rear of the vehicle

Elon added that the car will feel more spacious to passengers than similar-sized petrol-based cars because of design decisions Tesla made by not using a combustion engine. "You are sitting a little further forward. That's what gives you the legroom to have five adults. And the rear roof area is actually one continuous pane of glass. The reason that that's great is because it gives you an amazing feeling of openness. So, it has by far the best roominess of any car of this size," Elon told BBC.

The launch of the Model 3 has created much buzz among the new-age technology company leaders in India. Vijay Shekhar Sharma, co-founder and CEO of Paytm, re-tweeted Musk’s initial remark, while Vishal Gondal, the founder of GOQii tweeted to Musk asking, “Where/when can I pre-order for India Red colour?" The car, being rightly priced for the cost obsessed Indian consumer, can be a massive game changer.

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