Surat businessman Lavji Daliya drives home India's first Tesla Cybertruck, sets social media abuzz

Surat-based businessman and real estate developer Lavji Daliya has become the first person in India to import a Tesla Cybertruck, the all-electric pickup truck manufactured by Elon Musk’s Tesla Inc.

Daliya, a promoter of the Gopin Group and known for his philanthropic initiatives, imported the vehicle under Tesla’s limited-edition ‘Foundation Series’. Valued at around ₹60 lakh ($70,000), the Cybertruck reportedly arrived in Surat on Thursday.

Videos and images of the futuristic-looking vehicle, emblazoned with the 'Gopin' branding, have gone viral on social media platforms. The truck, bearing Dubai registration plates, was recently spotted near Mumbai being transported on a flatbed trailer.

“This Cybertruck is the only one in India, as per what we checked online. We booked this car six months ago at a Tesla showroom in Texas, US. After all due process, we got the delivery a few days ago, so we brought the car to Dubai where road registration was done,” The Indian Express quoted Piyush, Daliya’s eldest son, as saying.

Without disclosing the total cost incurred, Piyush said the logistics expenses were “huge.”

He added, “The car has a seating capacity for five people. After the vehicle landed in Surat, I drove it carrying my parents and younger brother. It was an awesome experience.”

According to Piyush, the Cybertruck takes six hours to fully charge and can run up to 550 kilometres on a single charge. "The car is fully automatic with all the latest features and some innovative features that are not found in other imported cars," he said.

The Daliya family is currently operating the Cybertruck under Dubai’s RTO registration in India.

Lavji Daliya had earlier drawn public attention when he attempted to bid for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pinstripe suit during a charity auction in 2015, though the suit was ultimately sold to another bidder for ₹4.31 crore.