With electric powertrains on a roll for Tata.ev, the brand has been pushing for a strong charging infra for its customers as well. It’ll generally be a Tata charger that you see everywhere. In a candid conversation with Mobility Outlook, Vivek Srivatsa, Chief Commercial Officer at Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, outlines a grounded vision for electric mobility in India. His responses offer a look into how Tata.ev is anchoring its strategy on affordability, localisation, and infrastructure growth while maintaining a sharp focus on evolving consumer expectations.
What role does the pricing strategy play for Tata.ev?
Tata.ev’s approach is not just about price points but value creation. By streamlining costs across the value chain and heavily localising manufacturing, Tata has managed to offer newer models like the Nexon.ev with more features at nearly the same price as its earlier-generation counterpart from 2020. The Nexon.ev 45, despite its larger 45 kWh battery pack, maintains price parity with the older 30 kWh version, largely due to these localisation efforts. Additionally, the company offers multiple battery options across models like Punch.ev and Curvv.ev, enabling customers to pay for only what they need in terms of range, thus widening affordability.
What main challenges does the brand face in offering value without compromising on features?
Balancing cost and feature richness remains a central tension. Batteries alone account for up to 40% of total vehicle costs. While prices are gradually declining, the company offsets cost pressures through high localisation, strategic partnerships, and variant rationalisation. Simultaneously, modern buyers expect advanced technologies like ADAS, large infotainment systems, and connected features even in budget models. The response has been careful sourcing and design optimisation to embed high-value features without eroding affordability.
Since Tata.ev gathers a lot of customer feedback, how have user expectations changed?
With over two lakh Tata EVs on Indian roads covering five billion kilometres cumulatively, the company leverages anonymised telematics data to monitor driving, charging, and maintenance patterns. This data has directly influenced product updates such as the inclusion of cruise control (what!) in the Nexon.ev. Today’s EV buyer is not unlike a smartphone user—tech-savvy, feature-conscious, and value-oriented. Tata’s design and technology choices reflect this mindset, positioning EVs as ‘gadgets on wheels’ with minimalist styling and modern in-cabin experiences.
What further steps is Tata.ev taking to address India’s fragmented EV charging ecosystem?
Visibility, reliability, and availability are the main barriers in the current charging landscape. Tata.ev’s recent initiative aims to double the country’s charging points to over 4 lakh by 2027. This includes the introduction of a MegaCharger Network in collaboration with players like Tata Power and Statiq, offering 25% discounted tariffs and priority access for Tata customers. Verified chargers, a user-rating system via the iRA.ev app, and a unified wallet for charging payments are part of a digital-first push to simplify charging. A 24x7 charging helpline and mobile charging vans are also being deployed to handle emergency situations, ensuring a supportive ownership experience.
How is the company expanding its presence beyond metropolitan cities?
Electric vehicle penetration is rising steadily in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, fuelled by lower real estate costs that ease home charging and increase price parity between EVs and ICE vehicles. Tata.ev is responding with dedicated EV showrooms in cities like Kochi and Gurugram, with plans to expand to 50 cities. Srivatsa sees this as an evolution aligned with demand trends, stressing that a one-size-fits-all approach cannot work across India’s diverse market. Instead, a region-sensitive rollout—backed by solid infrastructure—is the way forward.
What will drive EV growth in India over the next five years, and how does Tata.ev plan to stay ahead?
The sector will see accelerated momentum due to better infrastructure, increased affordability, and sustained government support. While competition will intensify, Tata.ev is placing its bet on a five-pillar strategy: diversified product portfolio, focus on customer needs, leveraging brand trust, building charging infrastructure, and expanding beyond metros.
Initiatives like Open Collaboration 2.0 are part of this push to build an ecosystem rather than merely deliver products. Tata.ev’s core confidence lies in its ability to blend innovation with a deep understanding of Indian consumers and their mobility aspirations.
Tata.ev’s strategy is distinct in that it doesn’t rely solely on new tech or premium aesthetics to drive sales. Instead, it banks on solving local problems—be it charging convenience, range anxiety, or cost barriers—through localisation, customer feedback, and steady infrastructure development. In an evolving market where EV ambition often runs ahead of reality, Tata.ev’s confident approach could continue to garner healthy sales in India.
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