More than a month after opening its first showroom in the country, Tesla has delivered its inaugural car in India to Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik. A video shared by news agency ANI showed Sarnaik taking delivery of a white-colour Model Y at the Tesla Experience Centre in Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex.

The delivery marks a significant step for the electric vehicle (EV) maker in the Indian market, which has so far seen a modest number of bookings. According to a Bloomberg report, Tesla has received around 600 bookings, which falls short of the company’s internal expectations.

The company reportedly plans to ship between 350 and 500 cars to India this year.

'Purchased this car for my grandson'

Speaking about his purchase, Sarnaik emphasized the symbolic nature of the acquisition, stating, "I consider myself fortunate to have purchased India's first Tesla car, Model Y. As the Transport Minister of the state, I tried to buy this and succeeded in doing so."

The minister explained that his decision was motivated by a desire to influence the public. "I have purchased this car for my grandson, so that there is public awareness," he said. He added that if parents who can afford such a vehicle use it to drop their children at school, it will help "children will discuss this and people will purchase more and more environment-friendly cars."

Sarnaik also highlighted the government's commitment to the EV sector, noting that the state is "making all efforts to have the maximum number of electric vehicles on the streets in the next 10 years." He concluded by confirming that the transport department is working to "provide all convenience to electric vehicle-manufacturing companies" and has also provided facilities to the owners of such vehicles.

Model Y: Pricing and Specifications

The Tesla Model Y is available in two variants tailored for the Indian market: the Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) and the Long Range RWD.

RWD: Priced at ₹59.89 lakh (ex-showroom), this variant comes with a 60kWh battery, offering a claimed range of 500km and a 0-100 kmph acceleration time of 5.9 seconds.

Long Range RWD: Priced at ₹67.89 lakh (ex-showroom), this model features a 75kWh battery, extending the range to 622km with a 0-100 kmph time of 5.6 seconds.

Both variants have a top speed of 201 kmph and support Supercharging, which can add up to 267km of range in just 15 minutes. The cars also feature 19-inch crossflow alloys.

For an additional ₹6 lakh, customers can opt for Tesla's Full Self-Driving package. The Model Y is offered in six colors, with Stealth Grey as the standard option.

India's evolving EV market

While the Indian EV market is still nascent, accounting for about 5% of total car sales, it is experiencing rapid growth. EV car sales increased by 93% to 15,500 units from April to July of this year.

Customers can book the Tesla Model Y through the company’s official India portal or at showrooms in Mumbai, Delhi, and Gurugram. Deliveries for the Model Y are expected to begin in the third quarter of 2025 in these three cities.