[sri_tesla]

Tata Motors readying a portfolio of 6 EVs in the next 2-3 years as per a report by ET. These are,

• 2 variants of Tigor EV

• Nexon EV to be released on 28th Jan 2020 at a price of Rs 15 lakhs.

• Altroz EV to be released later in 2020 at a price of Rs 12 lakhs.

• Hornbill or H2X EV with a price of less than Rs 10 lakhs.

• Another unnamed EV expected to be released in the next 2-3 years.

Nexon, Altroz and Hornbill EV are already rumored for a few months but the price points are interesting. Tata seems to be covering all the segments with these models.

Source:
https://auto.economictimes.indiatime...n-evs/73508520

[Shreyans_Jain]

Tata seems to be targeting purely city based EVs at a competitive price. While I understand the logic here, there will remain concerns regarding range anxiety with less than 250km of real world range. I am saying this as a prospective buyer, Tata should also provide the option of a 40-45kwh battery pack to boost up the range and offer it to all those who want the extra range or peace of mind.

[racer_ash]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

I am saying this as a prospective buyer, Tata should also provide the option of a 40-45kwh battery pack to boost up the range and offer it to all those who want the extra range or peace of mind.

The above might be possible for ground-up designed EV models or even the models designed with EV integration right from product development.

I am of the opinion that the Altroz might come with a better sized battery pack and hence provide a better range compared to the Nexon EV. Pricing remains key though and IMHO it would be disastrous for Tata to launch an Altroz EV with a better range at a higher price than the Nexon EV. So, its going to be a fine balancing game for TATA

[padmrajravi]

The plan sounds all right. Hornbill, I believe is below Nexon. So this might go directly against eKUV. I am happy with the strategies of our homegrown manufacturers. Both seem to have got their direction right. They need to focus on the quality though. Even with this head start, Toyota and Suzuki can come with their own EV versions and sweep away the sales, since people trust them to manufacture niggle free cars. This headstart in the changed landscape should be used to erase the perception of reliability being associated with only Suzuki and Toyota cars. They have a window of opportunity where their biggest rival is playing catch up.

EVs at least for some time will be limited to cities. Even with a 300-400 km range, it will require a lot of planning to take an EV to the highway or an interstate drive. Electricity supply in our country is still sketchy in rural areas, while the fossil fuel supply is very reliable. More range also means higher price and this will affect the adoption of EVs by commoners. For now it is better to compete in city driving space, with the lower running cost of an EV being advertised as the USP.

[RK79]

If priced sensibly there will be many takers for EV. Covering all segments is a good strategy from Tata. For city use, EV is the choice, and if the Government is giving perks and low interest finance options more buyers will be attracted.

[guru_max]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

Tata seems to be targeting purely city based EVs at a competitive price. While I understand the logic here, there will remain concerns regarding range anxiety with less than 250km of real world range. I am saying this as a prospective buyer, Tata should also provide the option of a 40-45kwh battery pack to boost up the range and offer it to all those who want the extra range or peace of mind.

Tata cars are already relatively heavy, so there could be some challenges in incorporating a larger battery pack. These vehicles are also not EVs from the word go, but converted from IC engine chassis. These may be the factors which make Tata go for these options.

[GTO]

If you ask me, I think Tata is well-placed to take a leadership role in the EV space.

• Tata Power: Can help with infrastructure & charging stations.

• VFM Pricing: Tata is the master of that. If anyone can price an EV well, it's Tata (and Maruti).

• Software = TCS. EVs run a crazy amount of software and having a sibling like TCS has got to help.

• Jaguar-Land Rover can be counted upon for R&D help & technical expertise.

The problem is that the EV market is inexistent today & will remain tiny (at best) for the coming decade. If you were the CEO of an auto company and had 5,000 crores to invest over 5 years, would you do it on conventional cars or EVs?

[saket77]

Originally Posted by GTO

If you were the CEO of an auto company and had 5,000 crores to invest over 5 years, would you do it on conventional cars or EVs?

I am glad I am not in the shoes of one That is real crossroad of a kind.

But if I were on it, I would try to develop a car with a drivetrain that could be powered by both: a small ICE & an electric motor- of course, one at a time.

And that is possible with a suitable differential design or simply having a FWD ICE arrangement and RWD EV arrangement in the same car. Also, some sort of regenerative techniques could be employed that the battery pack gets charged while the ICE was on duty. Goodness of both worlds for the time being. Weight of the car will be a challenge to take on though.

In future, with time & leaps of tech, it would be easy to completely shift to full EV without much changes in the overall production line-since with minor tweaks, such tech would be already available. And that sort of dual-power design is a sustainable design in my opinion in terms of uncertainty & time. So, that's my (wishful) take on it.

[pogo0120]

For once, I totally agree with Tata Motors strategy here. I donot agree with Tata motors on their ICE engine portfolio and market share and their sales numbers are testament of that!

Here is why I agree with Tata Motors here in their electric vehicle product strategy. Some how there is a plan in Tata Motors to keep working on electrification in their product from Tigor, Nexon, Altroz, H2x and even Harrier( I did read somewhere). The idea is to keep offering electric versions of these vehicles at around 2x the cost of ICE versions, even if volumes are less or range is less. But make an offering around 2X the cost of ICE based ones.

Few points.
1. This helps them to give real world experience of electric vehicles, even if sales numbers are small like 100 units, 150 units per month to begin with. These numbers will grow as products get more acceptance by word of mouth and due to lower operation cost which is almost 1Rs per KM.
2. Creates buzz in the market, increases credibility since that product line had electric drive train from the beginning and so on.
3. Early to market means early access to market share.
4. Currently, electric products are around 2X the cost of ICE due to battery cost and may be due to non mass production of other units like controllers or motors and so on. But as the battery cost reduces and ICE gets costlier due to BS6 and so on, the price gap will reduce and being early in market always helps.
5. Rs10 Lakhs Tigor today may have a practical range of 95 to 100Kms. But keep selling them at low quantities and keep the product line alive. As battery cost reduces, which is happening due to excessive lithium mining and improvement in Battery technologies, may be next year Rs 10 Lakh Tigor may give a practical range of 120KMs, due to bigger battery or improved battery.
6. Customers get used to Tata electric products before mass market priced products arrive, which is a good thing. Product acceptance will be easier.
7. Fact that ICE engined variants and Electric variants share same body parts like bumper, mirror, glass, window, headlights, tail lights etc, means customer need not worry about not getting spare parts related to everyday touch and break items. For e.g, some one hits in the back and bumper got a hole. Customer need not worry as Tigor Electric and Tigor ICE have sample bumper and is available.
8 Unlike Mahindra, Tata motors looks more consistent with electric offerings. Tigor EV is available even today and in future, Now Nexon and they are already talking about Altroz.

I wish good luck for Tata Motors and hopeful that I will buy one of their cars if they keep good momentum.

[Latheesh]

Originally Posted by GTO

• Software = TCS. EVs run a crazy amount of software and having a sibling like TCS has got to help.

They have one more company under the group - Tata Elxsi. They already work with Jaguar and Land Rover.

[//M]

Originally Posted by GTO

• Software = TCS. EVs run a crazy amount of software and having a sibling like TCS has got to help.

Originally Posted by Latheesh

They have one more company under the group - Tata Elxsi. They already work with Jaguar and Land Rover.

More than TCS, TATA Elxsi and TATA Technologies would be put to task for such scenarios. Both TATA Elxsi and TATA Technologies have been playing a pivotal role in supporting TATA Motors with regards to product development since quite a while now.

[mohanphadnis]

Originally Posted by GTO

I If you were the CEO of an auto company and had 5,000 crores to invest over 5 years, would you do it on conventional cars or EVs?

This is easy. Investment of 5000 crore today will only get the product out in 6 years. We are looking at the battery prices of $100/kwh for battery packs by that time.

At that rate a 60kwh BEV will have near price parity to ICE car. So unless you expect to get a product out in next 2 years, investing in EV would be the way to go, and especially investing in drivetrains, I am still not sold on Li ion completely, battery chemistry may change, motor technology won't.

Plus an efficient motor works the same with FCEV, with BEV, with solid state batteries, everything.

One thing I am definitely not investing on is transmission systems and gearboxes, the days of clutches, slushboxes and CVTs are over.

[landcruiser123]

Fantastic roadmap for the future. And the price ranges look fabulous. Two things really matter while marketing EVs to customer:
1. As a customer, higher EMIs would substitute monthly fuel expenses. Free charging credits should be available for a year at least
2. Charging network must expand quickly

Originally Posted by GTO

If you ask me, I think Tata is well-placed to take a leadership role in the EV space.....The problem is that the EV market is inexistent today & will remain tiny (at best) for the coming decade. If you were the CEO of an auto company and had 5,000 crores to invest over 5 years, would you do it on conventional cars or EVs?

I'd say invest majority of the 5000 crores into EVs. Existing platforms & engines can be extensively modified for next gen products. What EV companies should focus on:
1. Better fast charging equipment
2. Availability of fast charging equipment along highways
3. Replaceable batteries at EOL


Realistically, range for first gen EVs (for small cars) can't exceed 400 km due to the law of diminishing returns.

[sri_tesla]

At the unveiling of Nexon EV, Tata sons N Chandrasekharan announced that Tata Motors will launch 4 more EVs in the next 2 years. These include 2 SUVs, 1 hatchback and 1 sedan. Hatchback is mostly Altroz EV while one of the SUVs is EV variant of H2X. It will be interesting to see what other 2 models will be.

[SpideyBoy]

Originally Posted by sri_tesla

At the unveiling of Nexon EV, Tata sons N Chandrasekharan announced that Tata Motors will launch 4 more EVs in the next 2 years. These include 2 SUVs, 1 hatchback and 1 sedan. Hatchback is mostly Altroz EV while one of the SUVs is EV variant of H2X. It will be interesting to see what other 2 models will be.

I wish that sedan is the EVision concept which was unveiled during 2018 Geneva motor show. That's quite a looker.