Latest news with #BorisPradhan
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- Business Standard
Tesla Model Y launches at ₹60L in India: Here's how much it costs worldwide
Tesla officially launched the Model Y in India at ₹60 lakh after years of lobbying for lower import duties Boris Pradhan New Delhi Tesla has officially introduced the Model Y in India, with prices beginning at ₹60 lakh, according to a pricing catalogue released on its website on Tuesday. Indian customers can choose between two variants: Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD): ₹60 lakh Model Y Long Range AWD: ₹68 lakh The company is opening its first experience centre in Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) today, marking its formal entry into the Indian automotive retail market. Retail sales will be conducted through imported units, with five Model Y vehicles already delivered to Mumbai from Tesla's Shanghai facility. What the Tesla Model Y costs in other countries Here is how the Model Y pricing compares globally (converted to USD where applicable): United States - Rear-Wheel Drive: $44,990 (before any federal tax credits) - Long Range AWD: $46,630 (MSRP) Eligible buyers may receive a $7,500 federal EV tax credit. China - Rear-Wheel Drive: ¥263,500 ($36,430) - Long Range AWD: ¥313,000 ($43,270) Dubai - Rear-Wheel Drive: AED 198,170 ($54,000) - Long Range AWD: AED 239,770 ($65,000) Japan Pricing is approximately ¥5 million ($37,000) Germany Long Range AWD: €45,970 ($50,925) France Tesla has not released a specific price, though it typically aligns with Germany Canada Import duties push prices 10–15 per cent higher than in the US Estimated at CAD 55,000 to 60,000 ($40,000 to $44,000) Brazil Tesla has not officially launched the Model Y in Brazil These prices exclude destination charges, local taxes, registration fees, and incentives, which vary by market. Global pricing could pose a challenge in India The wide pricing gap between India and other key markets may make the Model Y a tough sell in price-sensitive segments. The starting price in India is significantly higher than in China or North America, largely due to import duties and shipping costs. Tesla's strategy will likely depend on how consumers respond to the premium and whether localisation moves forward. Tesla store opens in Mumbai's BKC The electric vehicle manufacturer secured the lease for its Mumbai location in March and has since ramped up hiring while exploring additional sites in New Delhi. Tesla's entry into India has been years in the making, with the company—led by Elon Musk—repeatedly calling for lower import duties. While retail operations are now underway, reports suggest Tesla is currently 'not keen' on producing components domestically.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
12-05-2025
- Science
- Business Standard
China boosts Xinjiang rainfall using 1 kg silver iodide and cloud drones
Chinese scientists used cloud seeding drones and just 1 kg of silver iodide to add over 70000 cubic metres of rainfall in Xinjiang enough to fill 30 Olympic-sized swimming pools Boris Pradhan New Delhi China boosts Xinjiang rainfall using 1 kg silver iodide and cloud drones Boris Pradhan New Delhi Chinese scientists have successfully boosted rainfall by over 4 per cent in Xinjiang using a fleet of cloud seeding drones, The South China Morning Post reported on Monday. The researchers have published the findings from a weather modification experiment in Xinjiang, a dry region in western China, in a peer-reviewed paper. Using a fleet of cloud seeding drones, the operation boosted rainfall by more than 4 per cent across an area exceeding 8,000 sq km in a single day, according to the team led by Li Bin, a senior engineer at the China Meteorological Administration (CMA). The effort produced over 70,000 cubic metres of extra rainfall — enough to fill 30 Olympic-sized swimming pools at 2 metres deep — by deploying just 1 kg of silver iodide, a common cloud-seeding substance. This amount of powder, which is six times denser than water, is small enough to fit in a travel mug. The CMA's key laboratory for cloud-precipitation physics and weather modification in Beijing conducted the test, described in a peer-reviewed paper published in the Chinese-language journal Desert and Oasis Meteorology on 10 April. What is cloud seeding? Cloud seeding is a method of weather modification aimed at increasing rainfall by dispersing substances into the atmosphere that encourage cloud saturation. The process begins with identifying suitable clouds using weather data and tools like aircraft or ground-based systems. Once identified, substances known as seeding agents are released into these clouds. These agents help form larger water droplets by acting as nuclei, eventually resulting in enhanced precipitation. Common seeding materials include salts like silver iodide, potassium iodide, sodium chloride and dry ice (solid carbon dioxide). These compounds serve as the "seeds" around which moisture in the cloud condenses, promoting the development of raindrops. Cloud seeding not feasible in Delhi: CPCB Last year, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) stated that the feasibility of cloud seeding as an emergency measure to fight Delhi's severe air pollution crisis would be limited. The CPCB has stated that cloud seeding faces significant challenges due to insufficient moisture in the air and the dependency on pre-existing clouds influenced by Western Disturbances. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai had floated the idea several times to his Union counterpart Bhupender Yadav. The CPCB shared its observations on a cloud seeding proposal by IIT Kanpur. The information was shared in response to a Right to Information query filed by activist Amit Gupta.
