Tesla receives approximately 600 orders since India launch, raising fresh concerns over the company's global growth prospects.

Tesla receives approximately 600 orders since India launch, raising fresh concerns over the company's global growth prospects.

Tesla Inc.'s recent entry into the Indian market has raised fresh concerns about the company's global growth prospects. Since its mid-July launch, Tesla has received orders for just over 600 cars, a number that falls significantly short of the company's own expectations [1].

The Elon Musk-led electric vehicle maker initially aimed to utilize its full 2,500-car annual quota in India this year. However, the tepid reception has led to a revised plan to ship between 350 to 500 cars to India by the end of 2025 [1].

Several factors have contributed to the slow start. High local import taxes, a price-sensitive market, and the reality of a market where EVs account for just over 5% of total car sales have all played a role [1]. Additionally, Tesla's entry-level Model Y is priced north of 6 million rupees ($68,000), well above the 2.2 million rupee mark where most EV sales occur [1].

Tesla's underwhelming performance in India comes at a time when the company is facing headwinds in its two largest markets, China and the United States. Sales fell 13% in the last quarter, and the company is under pressure to avoid a second consecutive year of decline [1].

Meanwhile, Tesla's rival, BYD Co., has managed to carve out a foothold in India. BYD sold more than 1,200 of its Sealion 7 SUVs in the first half of 2025, despite facing similar high tariffs [1].

In contrast, Tesla has drawn crowds to its showrooms but has yet to translate that foot traffic into sales at the scale it envisioned. The company is cautiously expanding in India by installing Superchargers and planning additional experience centers [1].

In a separate development, Tesla has also reduced the price of its Model 3 rear-wheel drive (RWD) variant in China by 3.7% to 259,500 yuan, underscoring the intensifying price pressures in the Chinese EV market [2].

References:
[1] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-02/tesla-gets-about-600-orders-since-india-launch-fueling-global-growth-doubt
[2] https://www.businesstoday.com.my/2025/09/01/tesla-lowers-model-3-rwd-price-in-china/