Wednesday, Jul 12, 2017

Dubai

The all-electric carmaker Tesla has opened its first retail location in the Gulf, on Shaikh Zayed Road in Dubai, and is playing by the same rules it has applied elsewhere. The facility will be a “store” and definitely not to be identified as a “showroom”, and it is being managed by Tesla and not through a local dealer.

And in classic Tesla style, if someone wants to buy a model, they can make the booking on the dedicated website. The store also doubles as the brand’s after-sales support facility.

So far, so Tesla. But the carmaker’s formal entry into the UAE — first announced during founder Elon Musk’s visit to Dubai in February — could end up rewriting — even disrupting — the long-established way vehicles are sold here. The other direct Tesla presence in the region is in Jordan.

Even before the formal entry, the UAE roads have seen enough numbers of Tesla models, where the owners had them imported directly or through intermediaries.

As of now, the Model S — priced from Dh281,350 — and the Model X — from Dh332,500 — are available in-store and for booking. Depending on whether a battery is available or not, the handover to the owner could vary. In the case the battery is instantly within reach, it would be three to four weeks, and if not — and if the owner decides to go in for heavy customisation — the process could take 8 to 12 weeks.

And for the brand new Model 3, the brand’s entry level vehicle that will be rolling out of the US plant later this month, deliveries to their UAE buyers are expected only by mid-2018. However, bookings are open, and it requires a down payment of Dh4,000.

The typical Tesla buyer is as committed as they get, and for them the expectation leading up the handover is part and parcel of the process. “We are accelerating towards a sustainable future,” said Peter Bardenfieth-Hansen, Director for New Markets (EMEA) at Tesla. “That means changing from just concentrating on transport to incorporating all of energy.”

But for the moment, UAE’s Tesla’s drivers will be quite content with the cars... and having their charging stations. There are currently two “supercharger” sites in the UAE and three more planned by year-end, which allows recharging in minutes. There are a further 32 “destination charging” locations, and with a possible 18 to be operational in the next six months.

By Manoj nair Associate Editor

Gulf News 2017. All rights reserved.