Over the last two decades, there has been a lot of innovation in the fields of automobile engineering as well as clean energy in the United States and one of the leading companies in these sectors is Tesla, Inc. Tesla is a top American company today with a diverse range of products and is known to be one of the key futuristic companies in the country. Their core focus is sustainable energy, electric cars and clean energy products. This company is known for its clean energy cars and clean batteries that do not harm the environment. One market that Tesla has not captured in the automobile sector is the Indian market.
- Companies Leaving the Automobile Market
Over the last five years, many international companies in India have left the automobile sector in the country. The Indian auto sector is considered a difficult space for many international auto-makers in India. Auto companies from the United States like Harley-Davidson and General Motors have exited from the market and Ford also has stopped all independent operations in India. The most common problem in the Indian automobile sector has been the weakness in demand in this market. The sales for these companies in India have been weak that makes sustaining operations in a country like India extremely difficult.
- Elon Musk & Tesla Statements
Elon Musk is the CEO of Tesla and has been quite vocal about the desire that Tesla has to start operations in the Indian market. The latest statement by Tesla CEO has been on Twitter where he has said “Next Year For Sure” at a question about Tesla’s India plans. This means that Tesla could enter the automobile market in India in the year 2021. But Tesla has had problems with these plans because even in March 2019, they had been optimistic about an earlier date for entering the Indian market. In March 2019, Elon Musk had said “We would love to be there this year. If not, definitely next”. It means that in March 2019 Tesla was hoping to be in the Indian market in 2019 or 2020. The delay in plans has been because of many reasons and 2020 has been a difficult year for most people in the automobile sector.
- Delay in Tesla’s India Plans
Tesla has been looking at an entry into the Indian markets at least from 2018 if not before that. It has many models of vehicles that could work with the Indian target customers. However, the main reason stated for Tesla’s delays to enter the Indian market is governmental regulations in this sector in India. India’s tax regulations and tariffs make it difficult to enter and thrive in this market for many foreign automobile companies. However, looking at the latest statements Tesla is looking optimistic about entering the Indian market in 2021.
Tesla offers clean-energy cars and India is a leading country in pollution due to automobile traffic. The entry of companies like Tesla in this market is seen as a positive step by many in India. There are many car models on offer by Tesla and its 2021 India plans are keenly followed by many in India.