The world is going electric when it comes to Automobiles and India is catching up fast. Leading the way is Tata Motors which enjoys a massive share in the electric car space in the country. The brand successfully sells electric cars like the Nexon EV and Tigor EV in the market and now it has launched an electric version of its smallest car, the Tiago. The Tiago EV has also become the most affordable electric offering from the brand yet.
Looks
The Tiago EV looks pretty much like the Tigor EV, with the blue accents all over telling you that this one is an electric. As there’s no engine here, you get a different looking grille when compared to the petrol version of the Tiago.
The alloy wheel size at 14-inches is the same but you do get a aero new design which subscribes to the electric DNA of the hatchback. The tri-arrow pattern is a familiar sight on many cars from the brand and the Tiago EV gets loads of it. You can choose from 5 colour options on the car including the signature Teal Blue, also seen earlier on earlier electric cars from the brand.
Features
The cabin is loaded with features making the Tiago EV a compelling offering in the EV space. Along with leatherette seats that different from the Tigor EV, you get automatic climate control as standard, projector headlamps, cruise control and 8-speaker Harman Infotainment System with Android Auto and Apple Car Play connectivity. The ZConnect app offers 45 connected car features which include Remote AC ON/OFF with temperature setting, Remote geo fencing & car location tracking, Smart watch connectivity, Remote vehicle health diagnostics, Real-time charge status and a Dynamic charger locator.
Battery
The Tiago EV unlike the Tigor EV has been launched with 2 battery pack options. So, you can take your pick depending on the money you want to spend and the range you expect from the car. The bigger 24kWh battery pack promises a maximum range of 315km on a single charge while the smaller 19.2kWh battery pack is good for 250 kms on one charge. The car delivers a peak output of around 74 bhp along with and an instant full torque delivery of 114Nm.
The car also gets a Sport mode along with a drive mode, which ensures a more enthusiastic drive but with a lesser range. According to Tata, the car accelerates from 0 to 60 kmph in 5.7 seconds. Then there are different levels of regeneration which help in ensuring a longer range on the car. The battery and motor come with 8 years or 160,000 kms warranty. Tata says the IP67 rated battery packs are water and dust resistant.
Charging
The Tiago EV comes with 4 different charging solutions. Apart from the basic 15A plug point charging, a standard 3.3kW AC charger can also be used that comes with the car.
A 7.2 kW AC home fast charger can add 35 kms of range with around 30 mins of charging while it charges the vehicle from 10% – 100%. in 3 hrs 36 mins. Finally using the DC fast charging, you can add 110 kms of range in 30 mins of charging or can charge from 10%- 80% in 57 mins.
Safety
Tata says since this EV is based on Global NCAP 4-star rated Tiago, it will be the safest electric hatch on Indian roads. It also offers hill start and descent assist for ease of driving on inclines, along with a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System.
Prices
The Tata Tiago EV, for the smaller battery pack version starts at Rs. 8.49 lakh and goes up to Rs. 9.09 lakh. The bigger battery pack variants range between Rs. 9.99 lakh and 11.79 lakh, ex-showroom, which depends on the type of charger and features you want from the car.
However, Tata has announced that the production of the 24kWh battery pack variants have been prioritized, so you might have to wait longer for the variant with lesser range.
These prices initially were valid for only the first 10,000 bookings and that number was crossed within the 24 hours since bookings began. Looking at the enthusiastic response, the company has decided to extend the introductory pricing to an additional 10,000 buyers.
The author is a senior editor at carandbike.com
