Tata Motors Ltd. has announced plans to develop a comprehensive range of electric vehicles with capability to run more than 200 km on a single charge and an ecosystem that would support the company’s e-mobility push in the country.
Having being convinced that e-mobility is imminent in India due to tighter emission norms and growing pollution in major cities, Tata Motors has committed to lead the e-mobility space in India, a top executive said.
Electrifying vehicles
For this, the company has set up the electric mobility business that has already started working on electrifying some of the existing Tata vehicles and developing new ones under the Alpha and Omega platforms of the company. At least three new electric vehicles are being developed.
The first concept of an all new electric vehicle will be showcased at the Geneva Auto Show in March and this passenger vehicle should hit the roads in the near future. Company officials declined to give a timeline.
“We want to win the race with a proactive approach. We will bring a comprehensive range of electric vehicles and offer value proposition. We will leverage on partnership with Tata companies and non Tata companies to build a full ecosystem rather than just manufacturing and selling the products,” Shailesh Chandra, president, Electric Mobility Business and Corporate Strategy, Tata Motors said.
“We have a long-term view on the e-mobility space. We want to be market makers,” Mr. Chandra said.
As a first step, the company has opted for the conversion path and optimisation of range, price and performance of its electric vehicles.
While Tigor has been electrified for the EESL order of over 5,000 electric vehicles, Tiago is being electrified. The company has also developed a range of electric buses and electric small commercial vehicles for providing last-mile connectivity.
The company has decided on a focused approach to address the needs of the market.
It will concentrate on 25 cities of India that are high on pollution and has scope for EV adoption in cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune that have a large number of people working in the IT sector.
The next step would be to develop and launch the all new range of EVs in various forms to attract a large base of customers.
The company has also ambitions to develop inspirational EVs with class leading technology and features for its customers, Mr. Chandra said. It is also getting inputs from Jaguar Land Rover that is developing a whole new range of EVs.
To be different in the market and develop the EV segment in the country, the company is working with Tata Group companies such as Tata Power, Tata Chemicals, Tata Autocomp Systems, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Motors Finance, Tata Capital, Tata AIG and Tata Realty & Infrastructure to provide a comprehensive range of services to win the EV race.
It is also working with start-ups to develop the appropriate technology to support its growth plans.