Tesla India debut: Elon Musk’s firm gets RTO nod for showroom; Model Y likely to go on sale from July 15 in Mumbai
Tesla will finally start selling its cars in India, with the Maharashtra RTO clearing the way for Elon Musk’s electric vehicle giant to open its first showroom in Mumbai and begin road trials and sales. The Elon Musk-led company is scheduled to inaugurate its first showroom at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai on July 15.The Andheri Regional Transport Office (RTO) issued the certificate to Tesla India Motors and Energy Pvt Ltd, the local subsidiary of the US-based electric carmaker, as per the procedures laid out under the Motor Vehicles Act, PTI reported.“A trade certificate has been granted to Tesla India following due inspection of the facilities mentioned in their application,” a senior RTO official told PTI, confirming the development. “This includes the showroom, vehicle parking area and warehousing facility.”The trade certificate, granted under Rule 35 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, allows authorised dealers and manufacturers to move unregistered vehicles legally on public roads under specific conditions. It is valid for five years and permits activities like vehicle display, test drives, delivery runs, and workshop movement.“This is a procedural requirement for all auto dealerships,” said a retired transport official. “With this in place, Tesla can now operate demo cars, initiate customer trials and begin the registration process for retail sales.”Tesla’s India entry ends years of speculation and signals the start of its commercial operations in one of the world’s fastest-growing EV markets. According to reports, Tesla plans to launch its bestselling Model Y in India initially.The company has selected a premium location for its first retail outlet. As per the registration documents reviewed by PTI, Tesla’s showroom is located on the ground floor of the Maker Maxity commercial complex, adjacent to a shopping mall at North Avenue in Mumbai’s BKC.Tesla’s after-sales operations will be handled from its service and warehouse centre at Lodha Logistic Park in Kujupada, Sakinaka — around six kilometres from the showroom and close to the Mumbai international airport.Maharashtra Transport Commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar confirmed Tesla’s application for the certificate was processed by the Andheri RTO.Switzerland-headquartered Tesla, helmed by Elon Musk, has long expressed interest in India but delayed its plans over policy hurdles and import duty concerns. Its entry now aligns with India’s push for electric mobility and follows recent moves to ease localisation rules for foreign EV manufacturers.Tesla is expected to scale up operations across other metros in the coming months.
