Anand Mahindra welcomes Tesla, Elon Musk to India
Mahindra Group Chairman said 'competition drives innovation' as Tesla launches its first showroom and Model Y in Mumbai
On the day Tesla officially made its entry into the Indian market, the chairman of its likely competitor for the growing electric vehicle market, Anand Mahindra, the Chairman of the Mahindra Group, welcomed the automobile giant and its CEO, Elon Musk, to the country.
‘Competition drives innovation’
Taking to X, Mahindra said that one of the world’s largest opportunities for electric vehicles just got more exciting. Hinting that Mahindra and Tesla would compete for the Indian electric vehicle market, the Mahindra Group Chairman also said, “competition drives innovation”.
“One of the world’s largest EV opportunities just got more exciting. Competition drives innovation, and there’s plenty of road ahead. Looking forward to seeing you at the charging station,” Mahindra posted on X.
Also Read: Tesla opens first India showroom in Mumbai; know the available model and price
Earlier invitation to Musk
Mahindra also shared a screenshot of one of his earlier responses to Musk’s post on X, wherein he invites the Tesla chief to come to India.
Mahindra had then said in a tongue-in-cheek manner whether Musk wants to leave the entire Indian electric vehicle market to Mahindra. Musk responded by saying, “Good Point”.
Mahindra’s grip on the EV market
Although light-hearted, Mahindra’s comments assume significance as his organisation has, over the years, established itself as a key player in the Indian electric vehicle market with models like BE 6 and XUV 9e. Mahindra was recently in the limelight with the unveiling of its four concept vehicles.
According to an India Today report, these models will be underpinned by the new Freedom NU platform, which is set to be officially available from August 15. These platforms will support a wide range of engines, including petrol, diesel, electric, and hybrid. They will also form the basis of Mahindra’s upcoming SUV aimed at both the domestic and global markets.
Also Read: Tesla shares fall in premarket session after Musk launches ‘America Party’
Tesla’s Model Y price
However, Tesla had made its debut in India with its Model Y offered with two battery configurations. The Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) is equipped with a 60kWh LFP battery and has a range of 500km per charge. The Long Range Rear Wheel Drive( LR RWD)is equipped with a larger battery and Tesla claims that it has a range of 622km on a single charge.
According to media reports, the Model Y RWD is priced at Rs 59.89 lakh and the LR RWD comes in at Rs 67.89 lakh.