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Tesla India plans take a hit as Minister shoots down talks of import tax reduction
Tesla’s entrance into India took a giant step backward as Government officials shot down the potential for import duty reductions on Monday. Attempting to enter the Indian automotive market with its sustainable vehicles, Tesla has petitioned for lower import taxes before committing to a Gigafactory in India. Still, the automaker and the government seem to be having trouble working on an agreement that would keep both parties interested.
After applying for and receiving two business licenses in India, Tesla seemed to be working toward an imminent entrance into the market. Rumors of a potential Gigafactory India have echoed through the community of well-known followers of Elon Musk, but the Tesla CEO shot down any potential of the automaker establishing production lines in the country in July.
Elon Musk: If Tesla can be successful with imports, India Gigafactory “likely”
“If Tesla is able to succeed with imported vehicles, then a factory in India is quite likely,” Musk Tweeted on July 23rd. Essentially, this statement eliminated any potential for a Tesla Gigafactory in India if the automaker could not first test demand for its products in the country. A smart move financially, Tesla spends hundreds of millions, even billions of dollars on production facilities. It would be a big gamble for the young and quickly-charging automaker to establish a full-blown residency in India without any sort of real-world data hinting toward robust demand. The government is willing to let import duties be lightened to 40%, as long as Tesla commits to building a factory in India at some point. This requirement throws a wrench into Tesla’s plans, as it is not willing to agree to these terms currently.
If Tesla is able to succeed with imported vehicles, then a factory in India is quite likely.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 23, 2021
“No such proposal is under consideration”: Minister
Now, Minister Krishan Pal Gurjar says that there is no talk of the government considering a reduction of import duties. On Monday, he told Parliament (via Bloomberg):
“No such proposal is under consideration in Ministry of Heavy Industries.”
Government ministries are currently run under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has emphasized tremendous support for local manufacturing efforts. The government, at this time, seems unwilling to consider reduced import duties or Tesla’s import plans at all because local manufacturing has taken priority.
India is not a country with a robust history of electrification, either. EVs accounted for less than 1% of annual car sales, despite being Asia’s third-largest country. Additionally, EVs are not in heavy demand in India due to higher production costs and minimal charging infrastructure, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., Chairman R.C. Bhargava said in an annual report released earlier today. “Unfortunately, the technology presently available leads to electric cars being produced at a cost much higher than the conventional cars. This, along with the lack of charging infrastructure, makes it very difficult to sell electric cars to people who can only afford small cars.”
Import Duties are Getting in the Way
Imports are a tough thing to get by for consumers in India. Because of the heavy import duties the country has applied on vehicles, many consumers are unwilling to spend what the tax adds on to the price of the car. For vehicles under $40,000, import duties are 60%. Any car that costs more than that is subject to a 100% tax, doubling the price of the car.
This has been perhaps Tesla’s only barrier for entering the market as a vehicle manufacturer without building a factory there. Tesla already could export vehicles from Giga Shanghai to India, but few are willing to pay the massive price tag that comes with the car due to the duties. It is unknown what Tesla will do moving forward, but the automaker and the Indian government seem to be playing a game of chicken, seeing who will make the give up potential requests to move toward a deal.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below, or be sure to email me at joey@teslarati.com or on Twitter @KlenderJoey.
News
Tesla China exports 50,644 vehicles in January, up sharply YoY
The figure also places Tesla China second among new energy vehicle exporters for the month, behind BYD.
Tesla China exported 50,644 vehicles in January, as per data released by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).
This marks a notable increase both year-on-year and month-on-month for the American EV maker’s Giga Shanghai-built Model 3 and Model Y. The figure also places Tesla China second among new energy vehicle exporters for the month, behind BYD.
The CPCA’s national passenger car market analysis report indicated that total New Energy Vehicle exports reached 286,000 units in January, up 103.6% from a year earlier. Battery electric vehicles accounted for 65% of those exports.
Within that total, Tesla China shipped 50,644 vehicles overseas. By comparison, exports of Giga Shanghai-built Model 3 and Model Y units totaled 29,535 units in January last year and just 3,328 units in December.
This suggests that Tesla China’s January 2026 exports were roughly 1.7 times higher than the same month a year ago and more than 15 times higher than December’s level, as noted in a TechWeb report.
BYD still led the January 2026 export rankings with 96,859 new energy passenger vehicles shipped overseas, though it should be noted that the automaker operates at least nine major production facilities in China, far outnumering Tesla. Overall, BYD’s factories in China have a domestic production capacity for up to 5.82 million units annually as of 2024.
Tesla China followed in second place, ahead of Geely, Chery, Leapmotor, SAIC Motor, and SAIC-GM-Wuling, each of which exported significant volumes during the month. Overall, new energy vehicles accounted for nearly half of China’s total passenger vehicle exports in January, hinting at strong overseas demand for electric cars produced in the country.
China remains one of Tesla China’s most important markets. Despite mostly competing with just two vehicles, both of which are premium priced, Tesla China is still proving quite competitive in the domestic electric vehicle market.
News
Tesla adds a new feature to Navigation in preparation for a new vehicle
After CEO Elon Musk announced earlier this week that the Semi’s mass production processes were scheduled for later this year, the company has been making various preparations as it nears manufacturing.
Tesla has added a new feature to its Navigation and Supercharger Map in preparation for a new vehicle to hit the road: the Semi.
After CEO Elon Musk announced earlier this week that the Semi’s mass production processes were scheduled for later this year, the company has been making various preparations as it nears manufacturing.
Elon Musk confirms Tesla Semi will enter high-volume production this year
One of those changes has been the newly-released information regarding trim levels, as well as reports that Tesla has started to reach out to customers regarding pricing information for those trims.
Now, Tesla has made an additional bit of information available to the public in the form of locations of Megachargers, the infrastructure that will be responsible for charging the Semi and other all-electric Class 8 vehicles that hit the road.
Tesla made the announcement on the social media platform X:
We put Semi Megachargers on the map
→ https://t.co/Jb6p7OPXMi pic.twitter.com/stwYwtDVSB
— Tesla Semi (@tesla_semi) February 10, 2026
Although it is a minor development, it is a major indication that Tesla is preparing for the Semi to head toward mass production, something the company has been hinting at for several years.
Nevertheless, this, along with the other information that was released this week, points toward a significant stride in Tesla’s progress in the Semi project.
Now that the company has also worked toward completion of the dedicated manufacturing plant in Sparks, Nevada, there are more signs than ever that the vehicle is finally ready to be built and delivered to customers outside of the pilot program that has been in operation for several years.
For now, the Megachargers are going to be situated on the West Coast, with a heavy emphasis on routes like I-5 and I-10. This strategy prioritizes major highways and logistics hubs where freight traffic is heaviest, ensuring coverage for both cross-country and regional hauls.
California and Texas are slated to have the most initially, with 17 and 19 sites, respectively. As the program continues to grow, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Washington, New York, and Nevada will have Megacharger locations as well.
For now, the Megachargers are available in Lathrop, California, and Sparks, Nevada, both of which have ties to Tesla. The former is the location of the Megafactory, and Sparks is where both the Tesla Gigafactory and Semifactory are located.
Elon Musk
Tesla stock gets latest synopsis from Jim Cramer: ‘It’s actually a robotics company’
“Turns out it’s actually a robotics and Cybercab company, and I want to buy, buy, buy. Yes, Tesla’s the paper that turned into scissors in one session,” Cramer said.
Tesla stock (NASDAQ: TSLA) got its latest synopsis from Wall Street analyst Jim Cramer, who finally realized something that many fans of the company have known all along: it’s not a car company. Instead, it’s a robotics company.
In a recent note that was released after Tesla reported Earnings in late January, Cramer seemed to recognize that the underwhelming financials and overall performance of the automotive division were not representative of the current state of affairs.
Instead, we’re seeing a company transition itself away from its early identity, essentially evolving like a caterpillar into a butterfly.
The narrative of the Earnings Call was simple: We’re not a car company, at least not from a birds-eye view. We’re an AI and Robotics company, and we are transitioning to this quicker than most people realize.
Tesla stock gets another analysis from Jim Cramer, and investors will like it
Tesla’s Q4 Earnings Call featured plenty of analysis from CEO Elon Musk and others, and some of the more minor details of the call were even indicative of a company that is moving toward AI instead of its cars. For example, the Model S and Model X will be no more after Q2, as Musk said that they serve relatively no purpose for the future.
Instead, Tesla is shifting its focus to the vehicles catered for autonomy and its Robotaxi and self-driving efforts.
Cramer recognizes this:
“…we got results from Tesla, which actually beat numbers, but nobody cares about the numbers here, as electric vehicles are the past. And according to CEO Elon Musk, the future of this company comes down to Cybercabs and humanoid robots. Stock fell more than 3% the next day. That may be because their capital expenditures budget was higher than expected, or maybe people wanted more details from the new businesses. At this point, I think Musk acolytes might be more excited about SpaceX, which is planning to come public later this year.”
He continued, highlighting the company’s true transition away from vehicles to its Cybercab, Optimus, and AI ambitions:
“I know it’s hard to believe how quickly this market can change its attitude. Last night, I heard a disastrous car company speak. Turns out it’s actually a robotics and Cybercab company, and I want to buy, buy, buy. Yes, Tesla’s the paper that turned into scissors in one session. I didn’t like it as a car company. Boy, I love it as a Cybercab and humanoid robot juggernaut. Call me a buyer and give me five robots while I’m at it.”
Cramer’s narrative seems to fit that of the most bullish Tesla investors. Anyone who is labeled a “permabull” has been echoing a similar sentiment over the past several years: Tesla is not a car company any longer.
Instead, the true focus is on the future and the potential that AI and Robotics bring to the company. It is truly difficult to put Tesla shares in the same group as companies like Ford, General Motors, and others.
Tesla shares are down less than half a percent at the time of publishing, trading at $423.69.
Tesla China exports 50,644 vehicles in January, up sharply YoY
Tesla adds a new feature to Navigation in preparation for a new vehicle
