From $36K in China to $70K in India: Tesla's steep entry price raises eyebrows

A Tesla Model Y in India will cost nearly twice as much as it does in China and the US, raising questions about affordability here. Take a look at how the India prices compare with other countries

Jul 17, 2025, 14:36 IST5 min

<p>Tesla has finally launched its first showroom in India. The country"s financial capital, Mumbai, welcomed the global EV giant with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurating the showroom on July 16, 2025. The store opened its doors to a select group of visitors on Tuesday and to the general public on Wednesday. The company is currently offering its Model Y car in India and is likely to roll out deliveries of a cheaper variant later this quarter.<br />&nbsp<br />"This is the first launch of Tesla in India. It marks a huge milestone for Tesla globally," said Isabel Fan, the company"s senior regional director, adding that charging stations would be set up in Mumbai and the capital, New Delhi, shortly.<br />&nbsp<br />CEO Elon Musk has criticised India"s high import tariffs in the past. But slumping sales in the US and the European Union (EU) have the world"s richest man exploring new markets for his cars.<br />&nbsp<br />The company will likely to
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. This makes the Model Y variants start at an on-road price of around $70,000 in India, according to its website, which is significantly higher than the US price of $37,490 after a $7,500 federal tax credit.<br />&nbsp<br />While Tesla aims to tap the world"s third-largest car market, we look at how the price of the renowned Model Y stacks up in different countries.<br />&nbsp<br />(All prices are in US dollars for the Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive variants&mdashthe model that will be available in India.)</p>
<p>India<br />Launched in: July 2025<br />Price: ~$70,000</p>

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Tesla has finally launched its first showroom in India. The country"s financial capital, Mumbai, welcomed the global EV giant with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurating the showroom on July 16, 2025. The store opened its doors to a select group of visitors on Tuesday and to the general public on Wednesday. The company is currently offering its Model Y car in India and

Image by Bajirao Pawar for Forbes India

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United StatesLaunched in: January 2020Current price: $37,490 There are four Tesla manufacturing facilities in the US. The factory in Fremont produces the Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y. The newest gigafactory in Austin, Texas, is churning out Model Y and Cybertruck. The "Tesla Takedown" started because of Elon Musk"s role in the second Trump presidency, resulting in slumped sales

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United KingdomLaunched in: Feb 2022Current price: $65,652 Tesla"s Elon Musk problem also reached across the pond. Their car sales in the UK decreased due to Musk"s vocal support for far-right parties, such as Reform UK. Tesla"s shares dropped over 9 percent after its sales in the EU and UK declined by nearly half in January 2025, bringing its valuation below $1 trillion for the first tim

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UAELaunched in: March 2025Current price: $50,364 Tesla"s presence in the UAE since 2017 has become a catalyst that is changing the fossil fuel-based automotive landscape in the Middle East. The Model S and Model X were first introduced in mid-2017. According to media reports, as of 2025, Dubai is Tesla"s most developed market in the GCC.

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SingaporeLaunched in: August 2022Current price: $59,622 Singapore is another battleground where Tesla must contend with the Chinese EV giant BYD. Tesla recently launched a Category A COE (Certificate of Entitlement)-compliant Model Y variant, specifically designed for Singapore. But even that hasn"t deterred BYD from outselling Tesla and even Toyota. In the first four months of 2025, BYD

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Saudi ArabiaLaunched in: April 2025Current price: $53,319 Saudi Arabia was the latest market Tesla entered before coming to India. On April 10, 2025, the company opened its first showroom and service centre in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Aligning itself with the Saudi government"s clean energy transition policies, Tesla is looking to play a larger role in the shift. Apart from Model Y, Sa

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Hong KongLaunched in: September 2021Current price: $39,064 Hong Kong is another market where Tesla has to fight hard to gain market share. The Palo Alto-based EV maker entered Hong Kong in 2010. According to SCMP Tesla is the top EV brand with about 47 percent market share. But that is being thratened by quicklyt rising BYD.

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GermanyLaunched in: March 2022Current price: $59,200 Tesla has a Gigafactory in Berlin where 10,000 employees are responsible for manufacturing Model Y only. However, Musk"s involvement and vocal support for far-right politics have led to boycotts and protests. His Nazi salute controversy also resulted in Tesla cars being nicknamed Swasticars. German sales declined 76 percent in February

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ChinaLaunched in: January 2021Current price: $36,735 Tesla has a super factory in Shanghai, also known as Giga Shanghai or Gigafactory 3. Approximately 20,000 employees are responsible for making Model 3, Model Y, and Supercharger at the facility. The US automaker is also involved in the brutal price wars in the world"s largest auto market. According to Reuters, the decline in Tesla"s sa

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CanadaLaunched in: June 2020Current price: $47,364 (Long Range All-Wheel Drive) Canada imports Tesla vehicles and does not have an in-country production facility. Musk"s company is now facing another EV policy problem, thanks to its North American neighbours. One of Canada"s current climate change policies mandates that carmakers achieve 20 percent EV sales by 2026 or purchase credits fr

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