Is the future electric? Well, it is very much a part of the present with electric car sales taking off in India, thanks to the ever-increasing fuel prices. However, electric car sales are still very much a small part of overall car sales and that is due to affordability and infrastructure. I live in a building with no charging infrastructure and also for those with no fixed parking, the issue of charging is even more. So how is this changing? Well, it will take some time however, if you have access to a charger near you or can charge from your home then something like a Nexon or a Tigor EV will save you a lot of money in running costs vs a petrol/diesel car. Nexon EV for eg is the best selling EV in India with nearly 2000 units sold in this quarter.
The Tigor EV is the next step and currently is the most affordable way to own an electric car with a starting price of Rs 11.9 lakh. This is not the first Tigor EV though but the earlier one was not aimed at private buyers. This one has the same Ziptron architecture seen on the Nexon EV and plus supports fast charging along with having a much larger battery pack plus a more powerful electric motor.
The electric motor packs in 75bhp but do not let that number fool you as it is fast and smooth like an EV. Tata Motors has done well to make driving the Tigor EV easier for what would be the first electric car for many. It is very easy to drive and smooth plus quite quick. There is a sport mode too but that is not needed since the standard one makes the job of driving one in the city a splendid affair. The Tigor EV is also small plus the instant response means overtaking in traffic is very easy. There is no gear to change or any lag which means the Tigor EV is the perfect city car in that sense.
There is regenerative braking but it is not too strong and yes you cannot modulate that, unlike other EVs. Range? I know, that is what everyone wants to know. The Tigor EV's official claimed range is 306km and that is nearly the same as the Nexon. When we started off it showed 245km range from 99 percent battery, however on using it in the real world plus the S mode the range dropped quickly. That said in regular D mode you can get 200km which is what matters and that's also nearly as good as the bigger Nexon EV. The range also depends on various conditions like traffic, ac use, passengers, what mode you are using, etc. Do note with higher regeneration you can get better range while on the highway the range drops more.
Being compatible with fast charging means that in one hour you can juice up-to 80 percent while a standard 15 A plug will take 8.5 hours for the same. Also, you will not be stranded on the roads with no charge since there are enough warnings and charging stations scattered in tier 1 cities at least which provide some relief. The Z connect app is handy as well in this regard. Both the battery and motor have an 8-year warranty too.
This is the new Tigor EV and this colour, like the Nexon EV, makes it stand out along with the numerous blue accents. The interior though is less successful in our opinion. Quality is decent but not premium for the price that the Tigor EV is asking for. We do like the new digital instrument cluster for the Tigor EV which comes with plenty of information. However, we wanted some more EV touches inside along with EV exclusive screen/menus/information. The 7inch touchscreen works well and it does get a rear camera plus smartphone connectivity/Harman audio system, climate control, etc. That said for the price, we wished for more features. Safety is well taken care of with dual airbags, ABS with EBD etc plus the 4 stars Global NCAP rating which is very important, needless to say.
This brings us to the question, should you buy one? If you are looking out for an EV, why not? It is undoubtedly the most affordable EV with no rival. However, with prices between Rs 11.9 to Rs 13.14 lakh, we wish Tata Motors could have made it more affordable. The Tigor EV will appeal to EV adopters and there is plenty to like about it but at these prices, it would still be out of reach for many. Plus the Nexon EV while being slightly more expensive but having more power plus more features, seems like a better value. Where the Tigor EV does make more sense is with the state subsidies which brings the prices down. That will help in bringing more buyers. So yes, the Tigor EV is a proper EV with good range and performance but is a bit expensive. That said, there is no other car that is electric at this price bracket so that is an advantage for Tata plus being an early mover is paying it dividends.
What we like- range, performance, looks
What we do not- interior not as premium for the price, bit expensive, charging infrastructure still not enough
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