Tesla's Entry Will Boost India's EV Market, Not a Threat: BMW

According to BMW Group India Managing Director and CEO Vikram Pawah, BMW Group India remains unconcerned about Tesla's potential entry into the electric vehicle market in this region and believes it will contribute to the segment's growth. 

The organization, having sold a total of 1,249 electric vehicle units in India under two brands -- BMW and MINI -- has already recorded 646 units sold in the first quarter of 2025 and maintains its prediction that 15 percent of its overall sales in India will originate from EVs, Pawah told PTI during an interview.

When inquired about competition from the American electric vehicle manufacturer, Pawah said, "In all the markets in the world, we coexist. We all coexist and you can see last year figures worldwide, we were the ones who were growing. We grew in electric sales worldwide." 

In 2024, the BMW Group sold 4,26,594 fully-electric vehicles and recorded a BEV sales increase of 13.5 percent. Both BMW and MINI brands experienced double-digit growth in BEV sales, reporting 3,68,523 units (11.6 percent) and 56,181 units (24.3 percent), respectively. 

In February, Tesla began hiring for multiple positions in India, such as business operations analyst and customer support specialist, which may signal the company's impending entry into the market. 

Regarding BMW Group's electric vehicle growth potential in India, Pawah stated that currently it represents 17 percent of overall sales. The group announced a 7 percent rise in its car sales in India, totaling 3,914 units for the January-March quarter of 2025.