Mumbai: Tesla India Motor and Energy Private Ltd has leased a 24,500-square-foot facility in Kurla West for a new service centre. The site is located close to the company’s upcoming showroom at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC).

This development reflects Tesla’s commitment to establishing a presence in the Indian electric vehicle (EV) market, although it does not plan to manufacture vehicles locally at this stage.

According to property documents obtained by CRE Matrix, a real estate analytics firm, Tesla has signed a lease and licence agreement with Bellissimo in City FC Mumbai I Private. The deal grants Tesla access to space within Lodha Logistics Park.

The lease spans five years, with a starting monthly rent of ₹37.53 lakh. Over the course of the agreement, Tesla will spend nearly ₹25 crore, which includes a ₹2.25 crore security deposit, as outlined in the documents.

Tesla has made it clear that its current interest lies only in selling its vehicles in India, not in manufacturing them at the moment.

“They are not interested in manufacturing in India,” Union Heavy Industries Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said on Monday. He added that Tesla is planning to open showrooms in India purely for sales.

The minister was speaking at a press conference announcing that India’s flagship EV policy is now open for global carmakers who wish to manufacture and sell EVs in the country. Major players such as Germany’s Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen, along with South Korea’s Hyundai Motor, have already shown interest.

These companies currently operate manufacturing facilities in India. Hyundai has announced its vision to turn India into its global hub for EV production.

Volkswagen India, meanwhile, is closely watching how the EV policy unfolds and is carefully evaluating its implications before taking further steps.

The government has notified guidelines for its forward-looking scheme to enable fresh investments from global manufacturers in the electric cars segment and promote India as a global manufacturing hub for e-vehicles.

IANS