"Chinese giant BYD is on track to surpass Elon Musk's automaker as the world's largest seller of battery electric cars this year, and is expanding rapidly overseas. The Shenzhen-based company sold more EVs in Europe than Tesla for the first time in April, and has seen sales surge across the continent even as Tesla's have collapsed. Now, the two companies have a new battleground: India. Despite the world's third-largest car market proving largely inhospitable to Western and Chinese brands, both BYD and Tesla are pushing hard to crack it. Becoming a success in a country where cars are massively outnumbered by motorcycles is far from simple, but the rewards could be huge."
"Tesla's arrival in India has been a long time coming. The EV maker opened preorders nearly a decade ago, but only started selling its cars in India in July, a delay that left some customers waiting years to get their vehicles. Tesla has opened two showrooms in Delhi and Mumbai so far, selling its Model Y SUV at an import tax-inflated price tag of around 6 million rupees ($70,000), almost twice the price of the entry-level Model Y in the US. The Elon Musk-owned automaker has also ramped up hiring. In addition to customer service and support roles, Tesla is recruiting Autopilot testers in Mumbai and Delhi, suggesting the company eventually plans to bring its assisted driving tech to the country."
BYD is rapidly expanding overseas and is on track to become the world's largest seller of battery electric cars this year. BYD sold more EVs in Europe than Tesla in April and has seen continent-wide sales surge while Tesla's European sales have fallen. India presents a crucial battleground, with motorcycle-dominated roads and a market that has been difficult for foreign brands to penetrate. McKinsey estimates electric car sales in India could reach two to three million annually by 2030, up from about 100,000 in 2024. Tesla launched sales only in July, opening two showrooms, pricing the Model Y at roughly 6 million rupees, and recruiting local Autopilot testers.
Read at Business Insider
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