Tata Tigor EV Likely for GOI´s 10,000 EVs Order

The electric car may mimic the features of the Tata Tiago EV launched in UK recently.

Tata Motors has hit the headlines for bagging a Government of India order of supplying 10,000 electric cars in two phases. The tender floated by EESL (Energy Efficiency Services Ltd) was won by the company with lowest price quote of INR 10.16 lakh (without GST) along with a 5-year warranty. With GST added, the car may cost INR 11.2 lakh, but sources say that the price is still cheaper by 25 percent than the retail price of a similar EV with 3-year warranty.

Also Read: Mahindra eVerito: India’s First All-Electric Sedan

Companies like Mahindra and Nissan also participated in the bid. EESL, under Ministry of Power, earlier tweaked the tender terms on body style acceptable from ‘sedan’ to ‘car’ with length acceptable from 3,990 to 4,980 mm, allowing compact sedans or even hatchbacks for the bid. Tata Motors is expected to deliver about 500 electric cars by November this year, while the rest of the order committed for later. This deal is likely to boost the government´s push towards mass adoption of electric vehicles in India.

Tata Tiago EV features electric motor producing 85 kW (113.94 hp) of power, with a driving range of 100 km on single charge

All said, now the question is which model of Tata EV is it going to be? Deciphering from the tender details, only two cars hit my mind – Tata Bolt EV and the latest Tiago EV concept hatchback unveiled at UK early last month. But Autocar Professional reports that an electric version of the compact sedan Tigor is likely to be the car for the GOI order, which makes sense considering the tender´s `sedan´ bias. The company is strictly silent on the electrification of the Tigor, will anyway bring out the news soon as the delivery period is as early as next month.

Also Read: Tata Bolt EV Prototype Is Better Than You Think

Therefore, in all likelihood, the Tata Tigor EV may borrow the electric powertrain and battery packs from the Tiago EV. The e-hatch is equipped with an electric motor that generates 85 kW (113.94 hp) of power and 200 Nm of torque. It is powered by a lithium-ion battery pack that can extend a driving range of 100 km on single charge. The Tiago EV is said to accelerate from 0-100 kmph in just 11 seconds under the `Sport´ mode, while also reaching a top speed of 135 kmph. An `Economy´ mode is likely to offer nominal driving speed with extended range.

But the mental reservation in my mind is how far electric vehicles with such limited driving range gonna suit the needs and demands of sarkaari departments and officials? You may say fast-charging infrastructure can be augmented, but are they feasible enough to address the challenges? We have to wait for an answer!

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Photos Credit: Autocar India