The world's richest person, Elon Musk, is steering his electric car behemoth, Tesla, towards the Indian market. During a recent visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US, he met with Elon Musk, setting the stage for Tesla to announce job openings in major Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune. This hiring wave foreshadows Tesla's imminent debut on Indian soil.
Amidst this buzz, a question lingers in people's minds: how will local car manufacturers hold their ground against Tesla's entry into India? Anand Mahindra, Chairman of the Mahindra Group, also addressed this concern on the social networking site 'X' (previously Twitter). His response was characteristically insightful.
Anand Mahindra's Perspective:
A user tagged Anand Mahindra in a post, asking, "Dear Elon Musk brings his Tesla cars to India, how will you handle the competition? Are you ready, Sir?" In response, Anand Mahindra shared, "Since the Indian economy opened in 1991, we've faced similar questions. How will you compete against Tata, Maruti, or any multinational?"
He further added, "Yet, here we are, still thriving. We're working tirelessly to remain relevant for another century. With your encouragement, we're ready to continue this journey..."
It's noteworthy that Tesla had been considering entering India for quite some time, but high import duties were a deterrent. However, recent changes in government policy, reducing customs duty from 110% to 70% on luxury electric cars priced over $40,000, have made the Indian market more appealing to foreign companies.
Mahindra's Robust Line-Up-
In the electric vehicle segment, Mahindra has fortified its offerings. Recently, it launched two new electric cars, the Mahindra BE6 and XEV 9e, in the domestic market. Known for their striking looks and performance, these SUVs are gaining tremendous popularity. Their combined bookings reached a record-breaking 30,179 units in just one day, speaking volumes about their appeal.
Source: aajtak
The Mahindra BE6 starts at a price of 18.90 lakh INR, offering two battery packs (59kWh and 79kWh) that provide a range of 556 km and 682 km, respectively. Meanwhile, the Mahindra XEV 9e is priced from 21.90 lakh INR and also features two battery pack options yielding ranges of 542 km and 656 km.
