Tesla just launched its first showroom in India — but early Indian backers aren’t impressed.
Longtime Tesla fan Vishal Gondal, who pre-booked a Model 3 in 2016, visited day one in Mumbai. He’s not buying now.
Gondal said he felt “underwhelmed” by Tesla’s launch in the Bandra-Kurla Complex. 
The issue started years ago. Early buyers like Gondal paid a $1,000 reservation fee right after reservations opened, but never got cars. Tesla delayed launching in India for nearly a decade. Many had to chase for refunds — Gondal only got his back after numerous emails in 2023.
“Trying to get the money back was a problem,” Gondal told TechCrunch.
“And the joke was, had we invested that money in Tesla IPO stock, we would have made more money.”
Others feel similar. Tech blogger Varun Krishnan called the launch “cold” and “underwhelming.” He criticized Tesla’s slow process compared to faster approvals for Starlink in India.
Tesla didn’t notify these early backers of the showroom opening or give them any special invites. Gondal contrasted Tesla’s launch with Apple’s nearby store launch, saying Tesla’s buzz was “a world of difference.”
Image Credits: Vishal Gondal / X
Gondal showed up in his Audi e-Tron, purchased after years of waiting for Tesla.
Amit Bhavani, who also pre-booked in 2016, said he only got his $1,000 refund after making a critical YouTube video in 2020.
“That’s when I felt that the whole love for Tesla became a real hatred for Tesla,” Bhavani said.
“The least Tesla could have done was email all the people who reserved the car earlier and said, ‘Guys, we are going to have a special event for you’,” Gondal added.
“Those people really went out of their way, and even though lets say it’s not a big amount, it was saying that we support Tesla.”
Some backers like Kawaljit Singh Bedi got their refunds just before the launch but aren’t rushing to buy Tesla cars.
“After all these years I have waited, I’m in no hurry to buy it now and become the first one to have it, because what’s the point? I waited nine years? I can wait nine years and six months more,” Singh said.
Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma also isn’t sold on Tesla yet, wanting a bigger portfolio of EVs to choose from.
“It may be a bit too late,” Sharma said.
“There are so many other options with price-value math more suited for India.”
Arun Bhatt, founder of Tesla Club India, said early backers feel frustrated over the lack of communication and refund delays.
“You paid something and you ardently waited for 10 years, and then out of the blue, they just tell you, we’ll cancel it and we’ll refund, then what happens — 10 years having waited for something, will we be given preferential treatment?” Bhatt said.
“There’s zero communication regarding that. So, eight out of 10 reservation holders are frustrated.”
No word yet on how Tesla will roll out after-sales service or ramp up its Supercharger network in India. The company plans eight stations split between Delhi and Mumbai before deliveries start in Q3. Early backers worry that won’t be enough coverage.
Image Credits: Tesla India / X
Krishnan said the lack of charging infrastructure kills the excitement surrounding owning Tesla first.
“Having gotten older in nine years, I’ve also gotten more prudent in my vehicle purchase process. I’m more worried about practical things than just the Tesla brand tag, which I fell in love with 10 years ago,” he said.
Kawaljit agreed:
“There is no real excitement to own the first car, knowing that there is no Supercharger network also.”
Elon Musk’s growing political controversies are also turning off potential Indian buyers. His recent alignment with Trump and public clashes are making Tesla less attractive among early fans.
Image Credits: Kunal Khattar
VC Kunal Khattar said Tesla “lost a little bit of its shine” in India.
“People used to think Tesla is saving the world, it’s saving the climate, and this and that, it’s no longer there,” he said.
Khattar attended the Mumbai launch, which he also found “underwhelming” and “not like a typical vehicle launch.”
Tesla’s India launch shakes out mostly in the premium segment. The Model Y starts at ₹59,89,000 ($68,000), much higher than the $44,990 U.S. price. Import tariffs on Chinese imports drive up the cost.
Electric vehicles make up just 2.5% of India’s total car market, though that’s up from almost zero when Tesla first announced plans in 2016. Tata Motors dominates India’s EV market, while MG Motor and others grow their share.
Image Credits: Jagmeet Singh / TechCrunch
Counterpoint analyst Abhik Mukherjee said India’s premium EV sales rose 66% year-over-year in early 2025 thanks to a rise in high-net-worth buyers. But Tesla’s prices won’t shake incumbents like BMW or Mercedes-Benz anytime soon.
“Tesla’s current price point is unlikely to cause any dent to the brands operating within that price range,” Mukherjee said.
Still, Khattar expects Tesla to raise general interest in EVs in India, but doubts Tesla itself will sell many cars initially.
“People will at least put EVs in their consideration set. Will Tesla sell a lot of cars? I don’t think so … Will Tesla increase the sales of other EV brands? I think so,” he said.
Tesla’s India launch opens with fanfare — but leaves its earliest supporters cold and waiting for a more compelling push.
