Tesla Inc. is scouting for locations in India in which to open showrooms, and according to sources familiar with the subject, the company will be looking at three Indian cities with the help of a newly-hired executive, as reported by Reuters.
The company’s new executive will lead lobbying and business efforts, ahead of establishing its showrooms in the country.
On the lobbying side, Tesla has recruited the help of Manuj Khurana, a former executive of India’s investment promotion body Invest India.
Tesla India is looking for commercial properties between 20,000 and 30,000 square feet in the capital New Delhi, the Western financial hub Mumbai, and the Southern tech city of Bengaluru, each requiring space for open showrooms and service centers.
Working closely with global property consultants at CBRE Group Inc., Tesla and the property company have been surveying locations for several weeks now, and are looking particularly for locations that will attract the affluent within the country.
While most commercial showrooms only run between 8,000 and 10,000 square feet, Tesla is looking for something bigger in a market where high-end real estate space is usually in short supply, while property prices in New Delhi and Mumbai remain some of the world’s highest.
In January, Tesla officially filed to incorporate its India branch ahead of the company’s full launch in the country. Customers in India can now purchase the Tesla Model 3 using the company’s online order configurator, with Model 3 prices starting at about 4,833,660 INR ($65,000 USD).
