Imported long-range Tesla Model Y spotted in India

Bengaluru: While Elon Musk has announced not to bring Tesla cars to India unless his demands are met, the rich and the famous are not deterred from importing a Tesla vehicle to the country.

A privately imported long-range model of Tesla Model Y on the street of Bengaluru has now surfaced online.

In the posts shared on social media by carcrazy.india, the car is shown at a wash shop, where the tailgate and the left side door of the car are shown open.

Model Y is a crossover version of Model 3 and is slightly more expensive than that of Model 3, which is the entry-level Tesla vehicle and was supposed to enter India last year.

The dual motor long-range Model Y starts at a base price of $62,990 and can reach $83,990 with all the available features.

According to Tesla, long-range Model Y is able to carry 7 passengers and their cargo.

Each second row seat folds flat independently, creating flexible storage for skis, furniture, luggage and more.

The liftgate opens to a low trunk floor that makes loading and unloading easy and quick.

The long-range variant offers a driving range of 524 kms and has a top speed of 217 kmph. It can do a 0-100 kmph sprint in just 4.8 seconds.

Musk last month said that Tesla will not manufacture cars in India unless it is allowed to sell and provide service to its electric vehicles.

"Tesla will not put a manufacturing plant in any location where we are not allowed first to sell & service cars," Musk tweeted.

The team Musk hired in India last year has now been diverted to focus on the Middle-East and the larger Asia-Pacific markets.

Currently, India levies 100 per cent tax on the imported cars of price more than $40,000 (Rs 30 lakhs), inclusive of insurance and shipping expenses, and cars less than $40,000 are subject to 60 per cent import tax.

Musk has said that he wants to launch cars in India but the country's import duties on EVs are "highest in the world by far".