In a statement released today, Tata Motors has countered earlier news reports about its Tigor EVs having inadequate drive range. The carmaker says, "Based on our interaction with customers and EESL, we have not heard range as a major concern."
Tata Motors claims that an overnight charge will still provide a 130km range, while, according to ARAI standard test conditions, a drive range of 142km is within its capabilities on a full charge.
The statement further adds, “Tata Motors has supplied the Tigor EVs to EESL in line with the specifications provided in the tender."
While the carmaker agrees that the vehicle’s standard drive range could have been improved with a larger capacity battery pack, it would have pushed the cost to a level where it was inaccessible. “The biggest barrier for EV adoption is their price itself and the battery cost of the vehicle is the key variable determining the prices. A higher range of 250km or above would mean a battery cost of more than Rs 7 lakh, which would take the price of the EV to more than Rs 15 lakh, making it inaccessible for Indian customers,” added the statement.
The statement from Tata Motors goes on to say that the claimed range is more than adequate to meet the requirements of daily city use. According to a research conducted by the carmaker, the average per day running of a personal vehicle in the city is around 56-60km.
Tata Motors has disclosed it is working on EVs with higher driving range and performance. However, the carmaker has also categorically said the price of higher performance EVs will be significantly more than that of the Tigor EV on account of their superior battery and motor technology.