Indian Early Adopters Disillusioned with Tesla Despite Eagerly Anticipated Showroom Opening

Tesla finally opened the doors to its first showroom in India, but the joyous occasion was marred slightly when longtime supporters showed noticeable disillusionment. Vishal Gondal, a fitness-tech startup CEO and early fan of Elon Musk and Tesla, pre-booked a Model 3 as soon as reservations kicked off in April 2016. Despite making the effort to show up on the showroom’s opening day, Gondal’s excitement had significantly waned, meaning he currently plans to hold off on purchasing a Tesla. This change of heart was reportedly due to a lackluster refund process after failing to receive his pre-booked Model 3, combined with the disappointing buzz generated by Tesla’s showroom launch compared to Apple’s store launch in the same location.

Others such as Amit Bhawani, founder of tech blog Phoneradar, after eventually receiving his refund following criticism of Tesla in a 2020 YouTube video, noted the escalating discontent among those who reserved the Model 3 and were awaiting refunds. Unfortunately, with these circumstances piling up, Tesla, the dimension defying automotive powerhouse, finds itself in somewhat murky waters in the teeming Indian market.