With delivery estimated to start from the third quarter, Tesla will drive on to India's busy roads, targeting a niche premium EV segment that accounts for just 4% of overall sales in the world's third-largest car market.

In India, the standard rear-wheel-drive (RWD) Model Y starts at ₹ 61.07 lakh (on-road) and offers a range of 500 km, while the long-range variant, priced at ₹ 67.9 lakh, extends that to 622 km. Both come with a 15.4-inch touchscreen but differ in battery size — 60 kWh for the standard and 73 kWh for the long-range.

In a nation where the average salary is around $4,200 a year, the all-electric carmaker is launching a $70,000 vehicle. The question is why.