Is Tesla-killer BYD chasing Elon Musk to India?
Tesla struggles with falling sales and share price and global protests against his brand for his support to US President Donald Trump, its CEO Elon Musk looks at India with hope. Long seen as a potential disruptor for India's EV, Tesla is finally entering India, opening a showroom in Mumbai to sell its imported cars and has plans to set up a manufacturing plant in Maharashtra.
However, Tesla has lost years dilly-dallying on its India entry and meanwhile Indian EV makers have grown enough to make things difficult for it. Many think the company may not after all be able to disrupt the Indian market in any significant way nor reap any huge dividends. Tesla may face another big challenge in India. Its global rival BYD (Build Your Dreams), which sells cars imported from China in India, could be planning to manufacture in the country. According to unconfirmed media reports, the Chinese EV giant is planning to set up a factory in Telangana.
BYD, together with Indian EV makers such as Mahindra and Tata; the JV between India's JSW and China's MG Motor; and Korean and Japanese automakers CAN make it difficult for Tesla to benefit from the Indian market in any substantial way.
What are BYD's India plans?
Last year in October, BYD said it would depend on an «import-only strategy» and refrain from setting up a car factory in India under the new EV policy. While sources told TOI that BYD was in talks with some Indian corporate houses to forge an alliance like MG's parent SAIC did with JSW Group, the company did not confirm any
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