Photo: Tesla
When Tesla opened reservations for the Model 3 in 2016, it charged $1,000 from everybody who wanted the company’s most affordable EV in several countries. Among them was India, and the customers there are still either patiently waiting for their cars or their refunds. According to The Indian Express, most people who asked for their money back still got nothing.
The Indian website reported two cases: one from a client who received his money back and another one who just felt scammed after multiple attempts to contact Tesla. Even the buyer that succeeded in getting a refund said he is one of the lucky few to achieve that.
Varun Krishnan told The Indian Express that he does not understand why Tesla took money from Indian customers if it never had accurate plans to enter the Indian market. The customer that felt cheated by Tesla is from Kolkata. He asked not to be identified, which does not make much sense for someone that seems so disappointed by how the EV maker dealt with this situation.
A while ago, the company had a request for tax cuts on its cars, which the Indian government rejected. More recently, India’s transportation minister said it would not accept Model 3 units made in China. From what Nitin Gadkari said, they want these Teslas made in India.
If the EV maker decides to have an Indian factory, that will demand at least two more years of waiting. In the meantime, Tesla could speed up the process of giving its Indian clients their money back. Krishnan told The Indian Express that “a lot of” his friends were still waiting for their refunds. After six years and considering inflation, what these clients gave Tesla was a free loan that the company is refusing to pay back. When it does, they will actually receive less than they paid.
Varun Krishnan told The Indian Express that he does not understand why Tesla took money from Indian customers if it never had accurate plans to enter the Indian market. The customer that felt cheated by Tesla is from Kolkata. He asked not to be identified, which does not make much sense for someone that seems so disappointed by how the EV maker dealt with this situation.
A while ago, the company had a request for tax cuts on its cars, which the Indian government rejected. More recently, India’s transportation minister said it would not accept Model 3 units made in China. From what Nitin Gadkari said, they want these Teslas made in India.
If the EV maker decides to have an Indian factory, that will demand at least two more years of waiting. In the meantime, Tesla could speed up the process of giving its Indian clients their money back. Krishnan told The Indian Express that “a lot of” his friends were still waiting for their refunds. After six years and considering inflation, what these clients gave Tesla was a free loan that the company is refusing to pay back. When it does, they will actually receive less than they paid.
Google News