Driving in the slow lane

IF TESLA WERE TO MAKE THE MOST OF ITS IMMENSE BRAND POWER IT HAS TO WORK ON NETWORK EXPANSION IN THE COUNTRY AND LOCAL ASSEMBLY TO REDUCE PRICES

- KARTIKAY KASHYAP

IT HAS BEEN close to six months since Tesla’s India debut in July 2025, but the Elon Musk-led EV giant seems to be struggling to notch up the numbers that justify the early hoopla. According to figures available on the Vahan Dashboard, Austin, Texas-based brand managed to register around 226 units in 2025. Competitors in the luxury vehicle segment, including BMW and Mercedes, are far ahead.

Of course these brands have been around longer but their sales figures speak about the potential of the segment. BMW registered 1,960 EV units in the second half of 2025, while Mercedes registered 312 units during the same period.

Overall, BMW is the leader in the luxury EV segment, with total sales ballooning 200% year-on-year (YoY) to 3,753 units in 2025. The company claims that its iX1 model, which competes directly with Tesla’s Model Y, was the highest-selling EV in the luxury segment last year.