Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde drives Tesla Model Y, a day after launch

Eknath Shinde, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, got behind the wheel of the newly launched Tesla Model Y electric SUV outside Vidhan Bhawan in Mumbai. The American EV maker opened its first-ever experience centre in the city yesterday, July 15, 2025, announcing its foray into the Indian auto market. The brand launched the new Model Y in the country priced from ₹59.89 lakh (ex-showroom) onwards.

Eknath Shinde was seen driving the Tesla Model Y slowly within the premises, amidst a crowd of supporters and state officials. Several states were courting the Elon Musk-owned for its India entry and the automaker has chosen Mumbai as its home, which can be seen as a major win for the state. Tesla will open its second showroom in India in Delhi next.

The Tesla Model Y is the brand’s maiden electric offering in India. The electric SUV available in two variants – Standard Range and Long Range – priced at ₹59.89 lakh and ₹67.89 lakh (ex-showroom), respectively. The Standard Range promises up to 500 km (WLTP) on a single charge with 0-100 kmph coming up in 5.9 seconds. The Long-Range version offers 622 km on a single charge with 0-100 kmph coming up in 5.6 seconds.

On the feature front, the Tesla Model Y gets a 15.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system that has access to most controls. It also has a secondary 8-inch display for rear passengers. The model comes with heated and ventilated front seats, electrically folding and heated rear seats, a 9-speaker audio system, ambient lighting, air conditioning, a panoramic glass roof, dash-cam, eight external cameras, and more. The company is also offering the Full Self-Drive (FSD) option at a premium of ₹6 lakh, albeit it won’t be rolled out until a few months later.

The Model Y arrives in India as a full import, and will take on several established offerings including the BMW iX1, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, BYD Sealion 7, Mercedes-Benz EQA, Volvo EX40, and the like. Tesla’s arrival is expected to shake up the premium electric vehicle segment.

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