Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk on Thursday said the company has sought “temporary relief” on import restrictions so that it could bring its cars to India.
In a tweet on Thursday, Musk said: “Tesla is in discussion with the government of India requesting temporary relief on import penalties/restrictions until a local factory is built”.
Only last month, Musk had indicated that Tesla may not officially enter India, given the country’s restrictions on single-brand retail, which mandate local sourcing of components of at least 30 per cent.
However, with the government showing a willingness to talk to Tesla, and also clarifying that the local sourcing norms don’t apply to cars, the ice seems to have been broken.
Musk, who has expressed extreme disappointment with US President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change, has shown support for India’s plans to have only electric cars on its roads by 2030.
Last year, Tesla had opened bookings in India for the Model 3, its upcoming electric car. However, it disappointed prospective buyers in the country by choosing not to launch the car here.
Many, including Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma, had booked the car by paying an advance of $1,000. Model 3 will be priced at $35,000, but if Tesla is denied exemptions by the government, buyers will have to pay much more. Completely-built electric cars priced less than $40,000 attract 60 per cent customs duty. However, if assembled in India, the duty on a completely knocked down unit is 10 per cent.
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