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Tesla readies Model 3 for India testing and potential sale by end of 2021

(Credit: nickyp3d via Instagram)

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Tesla is reportedly ready to send Model 3 units to India in preparation for testing phases in the country, according to local reports. Additionally, the all-electric sedan could be ready to be sold by the end of the year through Tesla’s online Design Studio.

Tesla India

For years, Tesla has teased the possibility of entering the Indian automotive market. However, as the company has plenty of demand in the country, not many of its cars are present there due to hefty import taxes that nearly double the cost of the vehicle. Elon Musk has hinted toward the possibility of bringing Tesla to India for several years, but the company made no real moves until late 2020.

Musk told a Twitter follower that 2021 was the year Tesla would finally enter the market. And so far, so good. The company applied for and obtained several business licenses so that it could sell vehicles and energy products and also registered its company in Maharashtra, according to documents released by India’s Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

Tesla has also hired several high-ranking employees for its operation in India. The company recently brought on Porsche alumni Samir Jain for the role of “Lead Aftersales – Regional Service Manager – India.”

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk with India Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Photo: Narendra Modi/Twitter)

Model 3 Testing in India

According to reports from India’s CNBC Affiliate TV 18Tesla plans to bring Model 3 vehicles to India by July or August for testing. The primary reasoning for the testing is so the vehicles can obtain approval from the Automotive Research Association of India, or ARAI. In addition, Tesla and ARAI will test the vehicles for crash safety, emissions, and other important automotive metrics that will be required before the sale of the cars.

Some sources in India say that Model 3s have already landed in Mumbai for testing, and more could be on the way.

Tesla Showrooms, Hiring Push, and Pace of Execution

Tesla is still planning for 3-4 showrooms in India in major metropolitan areas such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Delhi. While the executive team is currently composed of just a handful of members, Tesla will continue to try and add new executives to the team that will benefit the push in India. The automaker will look to expand the team within the next few months, and the Senior Leadership will operate out of Mumbai, the report said.

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Additionally, the pace of the project will be a slow, calculated effort. Tesla will go slow with the plans, testing its sales and demand in major areas before expanding to other regions of the country. India is the second-most populated country globally, only trailing China, where the company already has a well-established consumer base. The company “may look at a franchise model for Aftersales Workshops in India, the report also mentions.

Potential End-of-Year Ordering

Tesla could open its India Design Studio on its website by the end of the year, the report states. Then, depending on the result of Tesla’s testing phase with the Model 3 in India, orders could begin to open up to potential buyers. Still, deliveries may not occur until late 2022 or early 2023 since Tesla will have to establish some manufacturing lines in the country. However, there is back-end work already underway by Tesla to the vehicle ready for approval and the potential sale by the end of 2021.

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.

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Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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Starlink V2 to bring satellite-to-phone service to Deutsche Telekom in Europe

Starlink stated that the system is designed to deliver 5G speeds directly to compatible smartphones in remote areas.

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Credit: Deutsche Telekom/X

Starlink is partnering with Deutsche Telekom to roll out satellite-to-mobile connectivity across Europe, extending coverage to more than 140 million subscribers across 10 countries.

The service, planned for launch in 2028 in several Telekom markets, including Germany, will use Starlink’s next-generation V2 satellites and Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) spectrum to enable direct-to-device connectivity.

In a post on X, the official Starlink account stated that the agreement will be the first in Europe to deploy its V2 next-generation satellite-to-mobile technology using new MSS spectrum. The company added that the system is designed to deliver 5G speeds directly to compatible smartphones in remote areas.

Abdu Mudesir, Board Member for Product and Technology at Deutsche Telekom, shared his excitement for the partnership in a press release. “We provide our customers with the best mobile network. And we continue to invest heavily in expanding our infrastructure. At the same time, there are regions where expansion is especially complex due to topographical conditions or official constraints,” he said.

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“We want to ensure reliable connectivity for our customers in those areas as well. That is why we are strategically complementing our network with satellite-to-mobile connectivity. For us, it is clear: connectivity creates security and trust. And we deliver. Everywhere.”

Under the partnership, compatible smartphones will automatically switch to Starlink’s satellite network when terrestrial coverage is unavailable, enabling access to data, voice, video, and messaging services.

Telekom reports 5G geographic coverage approaching 90% in Germany, with LTE exceeding 92% and voice coverage reaching up to 99%. Starlink’s satellite layer is intended to extend connectivity beyond those terrestrial limits, particularly in topographically challenging or infrastructure-constrained areas.

Stephanie Bednarek, VP of Starlink Sales, also shared her thoughts on the partnership. “We’re so pleased to bring reliable satellite-to-mobile connectivity to millions of people across 10 countries in partnership with Deutsche Telekom. This agreement will be the first-of-its-kind in Europe to launch Starlink’s V2 next-generation technology that will expand on data, voice and messaging by providing broadband directly to mobile phones,” she said. 

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Starlink’s V2 constellation is designed to expand bandwidth and capacity compared to its predecessor. If implemented as outlined, the 2028 launch would mark one of the first large-scale European deployments of integrated satellite-to-phone connectivity by a major telecom operator.

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Tesla back on top as Norway’s EV market surges to 98% share in February

Tesla became Norway’s top-selling brand with 1,210 registrations, representing a 16.6% share.

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Credit: Grok Imagine

Tesla reclaimed the top spot in Norway’s auto market in February as electric vehicles captured more than 98% of all new car registrations.

The rebound follows a sharp January slump triggered by VAT rule changes, which prompted numerous car buyers to advance their purchases into late 2025.

As per data from the Norwegian Road Traffic Information Council (OFV), 7,127 new electric vehicles were registered in February, representing a 98.01% market share. Fossil-fuel vehicles and hybrids accounted for just 2% of total new registrations.

Total new car registrations reached 7,272 units in February, hinting at a rapid recovery after January sales fell nearly 75% year-over-year following VAT adjustments.

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OFV Director Geir Inge Stokke noted that similar patterns were observed after previous VAT changes in 2022, with demand temporarily weakening before normalizing, as noted in an Allt Om Elbil report. 

“We are now seeing signs that the market is returning to a more normal level of activity, which we also experienced after the VAT change in 2022. At that time, changes in demand led to a weak start to 2023. We have seen the same pattern this year,” he said. 

Amidst this trend, the Tesla Model Y made a strong comeback in the domestic market. After an unusually weak January that saw the Tesla Model Y drop to seventh place, the model returned to the top of Norway’s sales chart in February.

The Model Y recorded 1,073 registrations, giving it a 14.8% market share for the month. Tesla also became Norway’s top-selling brand with 1,210 registrations, representing a 16.6% share. Toyota followed with 941 registrations, while Volkswagen, Volvo, and Skoda rounded out the top five brands.

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The February data suggests that Tesla’s January dip was tied more to timing effects around VAT adjustments than to structural demand shifts. It would then be interesting to see how the rest of the year unfolds for Tesla, particularly as the company pushes for the release of its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system to Europe this year. 

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Tesla arson suspect pleads guilty, faces up to 70 years in prison

The update was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.

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Credit: Tesla China

A Las Vegas man has pleaded guilty to federal arson charges tied to a March 2025 attack on a Tesla Collision Center in Nevada.

The update was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.

According to court documents, on March 18, 2025, Paul Hyon Kim spray-painted the word “RESIST” on the front entrance of the Tesla Collision Center before damaging the facility and multiple vehicles.

Federal prosecutors stated that Kim used a PA-15 multi-caliber firearm equipped with a .300 BLACKOUT upper receiver and a 7.62mm silencer to shoot out surveillance cameras. He then fired multiple rounds into Tesla vehicles on the property.

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Authorities stated that Kim later threw three Molotov cocktails into three separate Tesla vehicles. Two of the devices exploded and ignited the vehicles, while a third did not detonate. In total, five Tesla vehicles were damaged in the incident.

Kim pleaded guilty to two counts of arson of property used in interstate commerce, one count of attempted arson of property used in interstate commerce, and one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm classified as a destructive device.

The mandatory minimum sentence for the charges is five years in federal prison, though the total maximum statutory penalty is 70 years, as per a release from the United States Attorney’s Office of the District of Nevada. 

Sentencing is scheduled for May 27, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey. A federal judge will determine the final sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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The case was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, with assistance from the Clark County Fire Department.

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