Gary Zhou 
Tesla’s V2 Superchargers are live in India, but there is no timetable for when consumers will use them as India and the electric automaker have not agreed to terms that would bring Tesla’s EVs to the country.
The Superchargers in India are V2, which carry a 150 kW output, and have two plugs on a stall. Only one is usable at a time. However, the stalls offer both Type 2 and CCS2 plugs for different Tesla models. According to Tesla Club India, who took the photos, these chargers are commonly found in Europe, with the Type 2 plugs being used for Model S and X, while the CCS2 plugs offer charging for the Model 3 and Model Y.
Of course, these Superchargers will likely be used by Tesla for on-road testing, which the company has been performing for several months. The real question is when consumers will be able to use the Superchargers, as Tesla and the Indian government have failed to reach any sort of conclusion for when or how Tesla’s cars will enter the country. Due to hefty import duties that roughly double the cost of a vehicle, Teslas are hard to come by in India, as many cannot afford to pay the hefty price tag for one of its vehicles.
Tesla has been adamant about testing demand in India through imports with reduced duties. Indian politicians have not been in favor of this idea, as they want Tesla to commit to a new Gigafactory production facility in India. Politicians have stated that they would welcome reduced duties if Tesla would commit to the Gigafactory, but the company is currently unwilling to do so.
Indian politicians favor local manufacturing over imports due to the advantages that it spells on the country’s economy. In dire times with the COVID-19 pandemic, India is likely more willing now than ever to provide jobs, good wages, and stable income to its citizens instead of having residents of another country build a product for it to be sold to someone in India. The advantages for the government are minimal if it allows Tesla to test demand with imports, especially if sales are not as healthy as Tesla would like, and the company decides India is not a favorable location to do business.
Nevertheless, Tesla is still moving forward slowly, working to develop a charging infrastructure for its test vehicles. Whether there is an agreement regarding import duties and Gigafactory plans remains to be seen, but CEO Elon Musk will reportedly meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come to an agreement.
