Mahindra Not Afraid Of Tesla’s India Entry: CEO Anish Shah
With the popularity of electric cars increasing in India, the number of players has also gone up. While we already have several players in the two-wheeler segment, similar trends are now seen in the four-wheeler segment too. One such brand that has been preparing to launch in the market is Tesla. They recently posted job openings for their India office. Mahindra’s Managing Director & CEO, Anish Shah, recently stated that they are not afraid of Tesla’s entry as their products speak for themselves.
Speaking at the NDTV Profit Conclave in Mumbai, M&M Ltd. Managing Director and CEO Anish Shah said that Mahindra is not affected by the potential entry of Tesla into the Indian market. He said, “Our teams have been able to show that we can manufacture at strength and compete globally.”
Anish Shah not only spoke about Mahindra but also mentioned that other manufacturers present in the Indian market have also improved over the years and are ready to face the challenges posed by global competitors. He added that the strength and resilience showcased by domestic manufacturers provide an opportunity for India to emerge as a manufacturing hub. He also said that India can not only make electric cars at scale but also at a lower cost.
Tesla recently listed several jobs for its Mumbai dealership. The American manufacturer has listed 13 jobs on its LinkedIn profile. Most of these jobs are for their dealerships in Mumbai and Delhi. The job openings were posted online after the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Elon Musk in the US last week.
If things go as planned, the American EV manufacturer might debut later this year. Tesla is likely to launch its Model 3 sedan first. It is internationally the most affordable Tesla one can buy. Tesla might also introduce the crossover Model Y at a later stage. The sedan and the SUV are both available with single- and dual-motor setups internationally. We are not sure if Tesla will introduce both versions in our market.
There were also reports that Tesla is working on an entry-level model for developing markets like India. It is likely to be called Model 2 and may be manufactured in India if Tesla sets up a manufacturing facility here.
Coming to Mahindra, they recently launched two new electric SUVs, the BE 6 and XEV 9E, in the Indian market. Both have received an overwhelming response. They opened official bookings for the EVs on February 14, 2025, and received over 30,000 bookings within 24 hours.
Both the BE 6 and XEV 9E are premium products. The price for the BE 6 starts at ₹18.90 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up to ₹26.90 lakh (ex-showroom). The XEV 9E starts at ₹21.90 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up to ₹30.50 lakh (ex-showroom). The SUVs offer premium features like a triple-screen setup (XEV 9E), VisionX Augmented Reality HUD, MAIA, Level 2+ ADAS, seven airbags, an infinity glass roof with dynamic lighting, and many more.
Even if Tesla launches its sedan and crossover in the Indian market, it will be challenging for them to match the aggressive pricing. In a way, more competition is always good as it drives innovation, lowers prices, increases product quality, and provides consumers with more choices.
Via: ET Auto