E-Paper
Tata Motors looking to introduce four-wheel drive in electric SUVs
In the electric vehicle segment, the automaker is currently selling four cars – Tata Nexon EV Prime (Compact SUV), Tata Tiago EV (Hatchback), Tata Nexon EV Max (SUV) and Tata Tigor EV (Sedan).
Tata Motors is looking to introduce the four-wheel drive (4X4) technology in its electric sport utility vehicles (SUVs). Four-wheel drive is a system that allows power to flow into all four wheels of a vehicle, enabling it to surpass tough off-road conditions.
A report by news agency PTI said Tata Motors does not offer the technology in any of its existing product range, including models like Nexon, Harrier and Safari. It is looking at models above the Nexon range as possible candidates for the 4x4 upgrade.
In the electric vehicle segment, the automaker is currently selling four cars – Tata Nexon EV Prime (Compact SUV), Tata Tiago EV (Hatchback), Tata Nexon EV Max (SUV) and Tata Tigor EV (Sedan).
On being asked if Tata Motors will consider four-wheel drive technology in its SUVs, Shailesh Chandra, the automaker's managing director for passenger and electric vehicles said on Sunday, “Our focus will be to try and do that in the electric vehicles. We are going to work on this in the electric version of our future SUVs.”
Some products of Tata Motors that are in the expected lineup of 10 electric models would feature the 4X4 upgrade, Chandra added.
The top Tata Motors official, in response to whether Harrier and Safari that only come with diesel powertrain could also be regarded for the upgrade, said it was difficult to justify investment as sales of such models remained dismally low in the domestic market.
“Let us first transition to the new world (electric) and then we will start giving such an option there. if Harrier and Safari sales start going towards electric... then we can have four by four coming there,” Shailesh Chandra told PTI.
In September, Tata Motors saw a 44% increase in its total domestic sales. The automaker sold 80,633 units during the month compared to 55,988 units in September last year.
(With PTI inputs)
