The competition in the electric car segment is intensifying with car-making giants like Hyundai and Tata Motors entering the space. Hyundai launched its Kona Electric car a few days ago. Tata Motors, on the other hand, has an electric version of Tigor in India. It can cover a distance of 142 km on a full charge. Also, as directed by the government of India, the price of electric vehicles will be on the lower end of the spectrum.
In the 89th international motor show in Geneva, Tata Motors showcased their upcoming vehicles like Altroz, Buzzard, H2X, and Nexon EV. These vehicles are expected to launch by the end of 2021. Tata Motors Chairman, N Chandrasekaran announced some electric vehicles as well in the 74th Annual General Meeting of the company. Nexon EV, Altroz EV, Tigor EV and an undisclosed electric vehicle was introduced in the meeting.
Currently, Tata Motors in India offers only one EV; Tigor EV. There are two variants of this car; XT and XM. Tigor EV is powered by a 72 V 3-Phase AC induction motor capable of creating 30 hp and a peak torque of 105 Nm. The battery inside of it is 16.2 kWh and you easily drive upward of 130 kilometers on a single charge. The car and the battery both come with a warranty of 1.25 lac kilometers or 3 years. The XM model is priced at 9.99 lacs whereas the XT model is priced at 10.09 lacs.
The electric version of Altroz, Buzzard, and H2X will get a permanent magnet AC motor. All the electric vehicles will have a range upward of 250 kilometers. The 2019 budget favors electric vehicles in a big way which is why a large majority of car manufacturers are now producing electric vehicles. The GST rate has also been reduced by 7% from 12%. The tax rate on charging stations is also reduced to 5% which was earlier 18%.
MG, Maruti Suzuki, and Mahindra & Mahindra are also preparing to launch their electric vehicles in India. Audi is also planning to launch electric cars in India. Hyundai launched its Kona Electric on 9th July. Shortly after, the company got over 100 confirmed bookings. The ex-showroom price of Kona Electric is around INR 25 lacs.
