Tesla has started selling a Model Y with six seats in India. Prices start at Rs t59.89 lakh (ex-showroom) and depending on the city, the total cost you’d pay on the road will be around Rs 60 lakh to Rs 69 lakh. Tesla’s website says they’re doing this because more people want large, fancy SUVs with three rows of seats.
This six-seat option is in addition to the other Model Ys which come with different ranges (how far they can go on a charge) and how the power goes to the wheels. Tesla is hoping this new version will be popular with bigger families and people who want something high-quality that has plenty of space, good features, and is efficient.
Prices and variants
In Delhi, the Model Y Premium with rear-wheel drive is Rs 59.89 lakh ex-showroom and about Rs 61.03 lakh on the road. The Model Y L Premium with all-wheel drive is Rs 61.99 lakh, or approximately Rs 63.16 lakh on the road. And the Model Y Premium Long Range with rear-wheel drive costs Rs 67.89 lakh, which comes to around Rs 69.11 lakh on the road.
Maharashtra has slightly cheaper total costs (on the road) even though the “ex-showroom” price is the same. The Model Y Premium rear-wheel drive is about Rs 60.99 lakh on-road, the Model Y L Premium all-wheel drive is about Rs 63.12 lakh, and the Premium Long Range rear-wheel drive is about Rs 69.07 lakh. Tesla says this is because of different taxes and registration fees in that state.
The six-seater fits into this general price range and makes the Model Y available to more people looking for a premium SUV in India. All versions can go up to 201 km/h, will travel between 500 km and 681 km on a single charge (WLTP), and get from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.0 to 5.9 seconds.
Here are the important prices to remember:
– On the road in Delhi: roughly Rs 61.03 lakh to Rs re 69.11 lakh
– On the road in Maharashtra: about Rs 60.99 lakh to Rs 69.07 lakh
– Ex-showroom in Delhi: Rs 59.89 lakh to Rs 67.89 lakh
– You can get it with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
Six seats and performance
Tesla says the six-seater is for people who want more room but still want a car that’s fun to drive. The Model Y L, which came out with this new selection, has a longer body and is between Tesla’s most expensive and cheapest Model Ys.
All these versions go 201 km/h, but the range and how quickly they speed up depend on which one you choose. This shows Tesla is still concentrating on having something that’s both useful and quick, even with three rows of seats.
How the six-seater fits the lineup
The website says the Model Y L is in the middle of the family of Model Ys. This suggests Tesla is trying to get customers who want more space and a better grip on the road, but don’t want to spend a lot of money within the current Model Y price range.
Market context and taxes
More and more in India, people are buying larger, fancier vehicles that have touchscreens and sunroofs. Because of this, more SUVs are being purchased and now there’s a chance for electric SUVs with three rows to become popular in cities.
Because India charges a 100% tax on imported cars, the Model Y is much more expensive than it is in many other countries. The rear-wheel drive version is around Rs 60 lakh, and the long-range rear-wheel drive is about Rs 68 lakh. Because of these prices, Tesla is only going after a small number of customers, as most cars in India cost less than USD 22,000.
What it means for buyers
Less than a year ago, Tesla started selling the imported Model Y in India, after a fairly quiet beginning last July. Launching the six-seater adds to the (still small) number of Model Ys available and shows Tesla wants to sell to families and people looking to get a more luxurious SUV.
Sharad Agarwal, who runs Tesla in India, has said that because Teslas don’t need as much maintenance and are cheaper to charge, people could get back about a third of what they paid for a Model Y in four or five years. The Model Y L hasn’t come to the USA yet, but Tesla did sell it in China last year for 339,000 yuan.
For people in India who are deciding between premium SUVs, the six-seat Model Y is flexible, has the performance you’d expect from Tesla, and the price on the road changes depending on which state you’re in. As more people want spacious, modern cars, Tesla’s wider selection will show how quickly electric SUVs with three rows can become a significant part of the luxury car market in India.
