Indian man demands refund after waiting 7 years for pre-ordered Tesla

An Indian businessman claimed a refund for the Tesla Model 3 he pre-ordered in April 2016 after waiting for nothing for seven years. Vishal Gondal, the founder and CEO of GOQii, a health-tech business located in Mumbai, made a $1,000 deposit on the electric vehicle (EV) even though he was unsure of when Tesla will introduce its vehicles in India.

What happened: “Elon Musk’s tweets and news stories hinted at a potential India launch, but nothing concrete,” Gondal told Business Insider. The GOQii founder still praised Tesla by calling it a “great tech company” while speaking to the Associated Press, but noted that “they just don’t know how to sell luxury cars.” Gondal eventually received his refund money back in January 2023. Despite the disappointing turn of events, Gondal remains hopeful, telling Business Insider, “I would consider purchasing a Tesla in India only if there were a clear and reliable market strategy with strong customer support and when I see the car in India with my own eyes.”
Hefty import tax: India was listed with South Africa, South Korea, New Zealand, Singapore and Ireland in Elon Musk’s 2016 X post for the Model 3 order page. Musk stated that Tesla is still “working through a lot of challenges with the [Indian] government” in a January 2022 update. In March, India announced a deal with EV automakers under which the country will reduce import taxes for cars under $35,000 from 70% to 100% to 15% in exchange for the automakers’ promise to establish a facility in India within three years.

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