Tata Motors to launch 3 new electric cars: Details

Just last week, Tata Motors revealed that it’ll soon launch the Tiago electric hatchback, which is tipped to be India’s most affordable electric car with a price tag close to the Rs. 12 lakh mark. While the Tiago EV is one new electric car for the Indian market, Tata Motors is working on two other electric vehicles based on existing cars. Both the Tata Harrier mid-size SUV and the Punch micro SUV are all set to be electrified.

A report on Team-BHP states that the Harrier Electric SUV is in an advanced stage of development and that it would be launched in India in the middle of 2023. The report goes on to state that even the Punch Electric could be launched sometime next year.  Recently, Tata Motors announced that it will have no less than 10 electric vehicles in its line-up by 2025.

Also read: Tata Motors releases new TVC for Tiago NRG

Test mules of the Harrier Electric haven’t been spotted yet. As the Auto Expo is scheduled for early 2023, the electric Harrier could be showcased at the event. While the electric variant of the Tata Harrier is likely to sit in the Rs. 20-25 lakh segment, the Punch Electric could slot in between the Tigor and Nexon EVs.

Electric cars are typically priced 30-40 % more than comparable ICE (internal combustion engine) variants, and this is what could play out with the Harrier and Punch EVs. Currently, the Punch is available as a petrol-only model while the Harrier is a diesel powered SUV. Apart from the electric powertrain, Tata Motors may also introduce turbo petrol engines on both the Punch (borrowed from the Altroz Turbo) and Harrier (an all-new 1.6 liter turbo petrol engine) models.

Also read: Tata Nano modified into a vintage car

In a recent media interaction, Shailesh Chandra, the managing director of Tata Motors’ Passenger Vehicles Division, has stated that he expects electric vehicles to comprise 50 % of Tata’s total car sales by 2030. Currently, electric vehicles make for 8 % of Tata Motors’ total car sales, and the automaker has two electric vehicles on sale – the Nexon electric SUV and the Tigor electric compact sedan. Next month, Tata Motors will introduce its third electric vehicle in the form of the Tiago electric hatchback. The Tiago EV could share its electric motor and battery back with its sibling – the Tigor EV.

Also read: Tata Nano modified into a vintage car

Currently, Tata Motors is India’s leading electric vehicle maker, and it runs rings around competition from MG Motor and Hyundai India. In the coming years though, Tata Motors is likely to lose market share as more automakers enter the EV space. While it loses marketshare, sales may increase as Tata Motors has lined up a slew of EVs for the Indian market, and also because the overall EV pie is expected to grow in the coming years.