US electric car giant Tesla finally entered India and set up an R&D center in Bengaluru. Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa also tweeted to notify that Tesla is setting up its research and development (R&D) center in Bengaluru.
Ending years of wait and expectation, electric car giant Tesla has finally entered India by registering the company in Bengaluru. According to the details available on the Company website, Tesla India Motors and Energy Private Limited has been incorporated and the registered address in Lavelle Road, Bengaluru.
Tesla India will be led by three directors – Vaibhav Taneja, Venkatrangam Sreeram, and David Jon Feinstein – based on data from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. The authorized and paid-up capital are listed at Rs 15 lakh and Rs 1 lakh respectively.
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa also tweeted on Tuesday to announce that Tesla is setting up its R&D center in Bengaluru to commence its operations in India soon. A strong pitch has been made by the Karnataka government to invite Tesla to the state.
“Karnataka will lead India`s journey towards Green Mobility. Electric Vehicle Manufacturer Tesla will soon start its operations in India with an R&D unit in Bengaluru. I welcome @elonmusk to India & Karnataka and wish him all the very best,” tweeted Yediyurappa.
Tesla is also in touch with other state governments like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh to start its operations. Last month, Union Road Transport and Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari said that Tesla will begin sales operations in early 2021 and then “maybe” look at assembling and manufacturing vehicles in the country.
Elon Musk, who overtook Amazon founder Jeff Bezos last week as the wealthiest man in the world with a whopping $195 billion net worth, said in October last year that the electric car maker is finally ready to enter the Indian market next year. Reacting to a tweet by Tesla Club India, Musk said: “Will release order configurator probably in January.”
Tesla India is most likely to debut in India with the Model 3 sedan which will take the CBU route at the beginning. Tesla’s entry comes at a time when India is increasing its electric vehicle charging infrastructure to significantly increase the proportion of electric vehicles on the roads.
Besides electric vehicles, the US-based clean energy firm makes battery storage from home to grid-scale, solar roof tiles, and solar panels.
In September last year, Tesla officials held talks with the Karnataka government to open its research facility in this tech hub. In India, the R&D unit is Tesla’s second outside the US. It’s first such overseas center is in Shanghai where it has a Gigafactory to make electric cars.
The tech-savvy Karnataka is the first state in the country to have an electric vehicle policy to drive investments in the sunrise sector. A number of startups like Ola Electric, Ather, and Sub Mobility have set up their operations in the city.