Electric Punch and Uber MoU: Tata Motors' Shailesh Chandra shares automaker's EV plans
Published On 04 Mar 2023 10:29 AMOn launching the Punch EV, Chandra said that he won't comment on any specific date as of now but it is definitely on the cards and the details around launch will be shared once the progress has reached a stage where it can be confirmed.
Tata Motors is currently in Generation 1 EVs and will soon be rolling out the Generation 2 EVs, Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd, told CNBC-TV18 in an interview.
Chandra explained that the Generation 1 EVs were the converted ones from ICE like the Nexon and the Tiago. Generation 2 EVs will have a more intrusive modification in architecture so that they can be electrified with higher-range cars whereas Generation 3 will be pure EVs.
He said that the company's latest acquisition of Ford's Sanand plant will make ICE vehicles to start with but will mostly be producing EVs going forward.
In August last year, the company announced that its arm Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd (TPEML) would acquire Ford India Pvt Ltd's (FIPL) Sanand plant, in Gujarat for Rs 725.7 crore.
Chandra said that in terms of capacity the company is already near the 1 million mark both PVs and EVs included. The capacity is at the level of 50,000 which means an annual level of 600,000 and the Ford plant at Sanand further adds to 300,000 that can be expanded to 420,000.
Tata Motors currently has capacities from facilities in Pune, Sanand (excluding the new one), Ranjangaon (JV with Fiat).
On launching the Punch EV, Chandra said that he won't comment on any specific date as of now but it is definitely on the cards and the details around launch will be shared once the progress has reached a stage where it can be confirmed.
"There are a few more additional products, which might come Punch EV is definitely one of them and I would not like to confirm a date on that. But yes, the intention would be that in the foreseeable future and say, by 2024, we should be able to bring that vehicle. But at this stage, I won't confirm the date till we have progressed to a stage where we can confirm the launch. So, yeah, those are the products I would say."
Chandra said that fleet is a very good opportunity for EV rollout as it helps reach more people who would be using a single car to commute. On the MoU with Uber for 25,000 EV deployment, he said, "They don't buy as you know, they mostly attach the cars. So they will be working with various fleet operators with whom we also have a very deep relationship with about 40-50 of such big fleet operators. And over a period of I would say 24 months to 30 months, they would be targeting to deploy these 25,000 vehicles."
Tata Motors celebrated the 5 million production milestone today.
“Today marks a celebratory moment in the history of Tata Motors as we celebrate our 50 lakh production mark milestone. This journey has been one replete with its fair share of ups and downs. We have been changing India with every new product intervention. Every innovation was with the idea of building the nation. The brand is respected by its customers for bringing several new technologies and we express our gratitude for the tremendous support of our customers, who have made this landmark achievement possible," Chandra said marking the event.