'Can Get 2 Mahindras': Tesla's Rs 70 Lakh Price Tag Stuns Indians

Tesla finally made its India debut with its Model Y SUV, but the price has left many Indians shocked. While the electric vehicle (EV) costs approximately $38,000 (Rs 33 lakh) in the United States, it will retail at nearly double the price in India, with top variants going up to Rs 70 lakh.

The American EV giant, led by Elon Musk, has announced that the Model Y will come in two variants:

A standard rear-wheel drive version with a claimed range of 500 km, priced at Rs 62 lakh.

A long-range version offering 622 km on a single charge, costing around Rs 70 lakh.

Deliveries are expected to begin in late 2025. Initially, registration will be allowed in Delhi, Mumbai, and Gurugram, with Tesla also planning to open a flagship showroom in Mumbai. Buyers can also choose a future upgrade to Tesla's full self-driving (FSD) capabilities, which would come at an additional cost of Rs 6 lakh.

A user on X wrote, "It's quite a bit more expensive than I was hoping for."

Oof it's quite a bit more expensive then I was hoping for

Devadath PR (@_devalopr) July 15, 2025

Another wrote, "Does this mean that Tesla is currently subject to a 100% tariff in India? Because at this price, I estimate them to sell around 1,000 units for the rest of 2025."

Does this mean that Tesla is currently subject to a 100% tariff in India?
Because at this price, I estimate them to sell around 1,000 units for the rest of 2025

Aakash Jhaveri????????????J (@jhaverinator) July 15, 2025

"We can get 2 Mahindra 9e for this price range," a comment read.

We can get 2 mahindra 9e for this price range.

Tesla lost the price?

???????????????????????????????? (@krishnang2393) July 15, 2025

"Wow that's really expensive," someone said.

Wow that's really expensive.

Aman (@aman360elite) July 15, 2025

A user said, "Too expensive for the Indian market."

Too expensive for Indian market

Satish Gannamaneni (@SatishGannaman2) July 15, 2025

India's steep import duty on completely built units (CBUs), up to 100 per cent, is the main culprit behind the inflated price. Tesla has not yet committed to setting up local manufacturing in India, which means the Model Y will be fully imported, attracting high taxes.

This comes after years of back-and-forth between Tesla and Indian authorities over the EV company's request for lower import duties, a demand the Indian government has repeatedly resisted.