The government recently announced a reduction in GST rates on electric vehicles in a bid to push faster adoption of EVs, and this has prompted automakers to pass on the benefits to customers. The latest to join the cause is Tata Motors, which has announced a price reduction of Rs. 80,000 on the Tigor EV. The new GST rate for EVs stands at five per cent as opposed to the earlier 12 per cent, which has prompted the reduction in prices. The Tata Tigor EV was previously priced between Rs. 12.35-12.71 lakh, and will now be available from Rs. 11.58 lakh to Rs. 11.92 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom Mumbai).
Announcing the price reduction, Shailesh Chandra, President - Electric Mobility Business and Corporate Strategy, Tata Motors said, "In light of the recent announcement made by the government to slash the GST rates of all electric-powered vehicles from 12% to 5%, the price of Tata Motors' EVs, will be reduced by up to Rs. 80,000 starting August 2019. The price reduction will be valid across all the variants of Tigor EV - XE (Base), XM (Premium) and XT (High). The Tigor EV which was earlier priced between Rs. 12.35-12.71 Lakhs (ESP Mumbai) and will now be available to customers at a starting price of Rs. 11.58-11.92 lakh. However, these prices do not include the FAME subsidy & TCS."
The Tata Tigor EV roll-out at the automaker's Sanand plant in 2017
Adding the FAME II subsidy further reduces the prices on the Tata Tigor EV to Rs. 9.96 lakh for the XE base trim, while the range-topping XT varaint is priced at Rs. 10.30 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom Mumbai). At present, the Tigor EV is available only for fleet operators and government officials, and is now being sold to private buyers. The electric vehicle can be ordered at most of the manufacturer's dealerships pan India. Tata is offering the Tigor EV in three variants - XE, XM and the XT.
The Tata Tigor EV was first unveiled for the government, when the automaker commenced supplying the cars as part of the EESL tender. The car though is also available on self-driving platform Zoomcar on a rental basis. On the mechanical front, the Tigor EV uses a 16.2 kWh battery that powers a 72 volt, three-phase AC induction motor that produces 40 bhp at 4500 rpm and 105 Nm of peak torque available at 2500 rpm. Tata claims a range of 142 km on a single charge.
The Tigor EV takes 90 minutes to charge up to 80 per cent via a DC 15 kW fast charger, while a standard AC home/office wall socket will take six hours to reach the same level. The car can sprint from 0-60 kmph in 12 seconds, while the top speed is restricted to 80 kmph, same as commercial vehicles. Tata Motors is offering a three-year/1.25 lakh km warranty as standard on the Tigor EV.
In terms of competition, the Tata Tigor EV competes against the likes of the Mahindra e-Verito. Competition in the EV space is limited in India at present, but with the government's push for electric mobility, more and more manufacturers are expected to warm up to the alternate options.
