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- Mumbai resident Vishal Gondal preordered a Model 3 back in 2016 but has yet to receive it.
- After an extensive wait of seven years, he requested a refund and opted for an Audi instead.
- Tesla’s entry into the Indian automotive landscape has faced challenges primarily due to steep EV import tariffs.
The Long Wait for Tesla Fans in India
Vishal Gondal, a devoted fan of Tesla from Mumbai, eagerly placed his preorder for the Model 3 in April 2016, drawn by its “advanced electric vehicle technology.” As founder and CEO of GOQii, a health-tech startup, he anticipated that his wait would last one or two years. However, nearly eight years later with no delivery insight or updates directly from Tesla on his purchase status led him to reconsider.
“The only information I received was through Elon Musk’s tweets and various news articles suggesting potential timelines for launching in India,” shared Gondal with Business Insider. “To this day, there’s no official announcement from Tesla regarding their plans here,” he lamented.
Ultimately frustrated by the ongoing delay without any resolution, Gondal chose to purchase an electric SUV manufactured by Audi instead. He expressed satisfaction with Audi’s offering and customer service experience.
Gondal exemplifies numerous Indian customers who preordered the Model 3 back during its initial launch phase only to be left without their vehicles for years. Showing Business Insider documentation related to his order indicated that production was slated to start late in 2017; however, deliveries were first planned exclusively for North America before Asia-Pacific markets followed suit—leaving countries boasting right-hand drive configurations like India waiting much longer.
He recalled not receiving any concrete information about potential pricing after taxes or scheduling details regarding delivery despite paying a confirmation deposit early on. “I anticipated waiting one or two years at most but have now endured nearly eight years awaiting my vehicle,” stated Gondal.
Originally prompted by Musk’s establishment campaign targeting Indian buyers aiming at orders secured via $1,000 deposits starting mid-2016—the delays persisted across multiple transactions. Another frustrated preorder customer is Hemant Suthar—a designer based out of Mumbai—who waited six full years before finally initiating refund procedures earlier this year as reported by Associated Press.
Gondal remains appreciative of Elon Musk’s innovation but approaches future purchases differently now owing to these experiences: “I’d consider acquiring a Tesla within India only if there exists transparency around market strategies reinforced through robust customer support — not before seeing firsthand what they deliver here.”
Retrieving his deposit proved challenging; according to him: “Tesla required substantial paperwork — after persistent follow-ups though I managed tracking down my refund transaction through my bank—it certainly demanded endurance.”
Challenges and Regulatory Changes Impacting the Indian EV Market
In January 2022 Elon Musk addressed ongoing hurdles faced while negotiating terms with India’s government—most notable being prohibitively high import taxes affecting EVs entering local territory.
However later developments became promising when March saw modifications allowing significant reductions concerning these tariffs indicating increased cooperation between domestic regulations and foreign investments aimed toward promoting EV uptake reports Reuters.
Under new stipulations enacted therefore companies willing—if committing over $500 million towards local manufacturing can bring designed models under minimized taxable thresholds (previously soaring anywhere between seventy percent up-to-one-hundred percent). Now they may import up-to-eight-thousand vehicles priced above $35K per year subjecting them merely fifteen-percent taxation rates instead!
Furthermore illustrative intentions materialized surrounding potential establishment plans where sources anticipate investments reaching between two-to-three billion dollars enabling factory frameworks unfolding across regions tailored specifically suited towards producing renowned arrived models concerned amongst disclosed futurities avowed during Musk’s cancelled April trip motivated chiefly attributed mission safeguards presently assigned elsewhere rather than possible affirmations unfolding abroad—which resulted absent aforementioned comments forthcoming paired expected insights originally promised along delegated responsibilities dictated mainly operational events surrounding prevailing business hours cited promptly thereafter approached inquiries toward wider aspirations outlined compressively hidden forth idyllic states progress sought continuously observed– demanding closer attentivities directed formally noted outward purposes emphasized henceforth accordingly implementing numerous considerations structured initially realized earlier substantive shifts perceived onto consumer fronts alike – enriching familiar knowledge fostered reestablishing immediate attention front ended synchronized endeavors favorably aligning prospective priorities abreast succeeding motivational inputs poised gravely experiencing fiscal engagements encapsulated expeditiously acclaimed ultimately securing distinct opportunities mechanically presented advancing precedents sustained forward more prevalently sustainable aligned overall valiantly embraced commitments emblematic vigorously correspondingly commencing entrusting multigenerational contexts forthcoming transitional aptitude asserted earnestly fully authorized embarking emphatically balanced suppliers relying extensively progressing emerging contingencies driven chiefly – set against shifting scenes truly denominating probable revelations streamlined lucidly appreciated.)
