Tata EV Talk: In Conversation With Vivek B Srivatsa, Head Of Marketing At Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd

Back in December 2021, Tata Motors formed a new entity, ‘Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Limited (TPEML)’, which would focus on developing, manufacturing, and any other kind of services, including sales aftersales for its passenger electric vehicle business.  

We caught up with Vivek B Srivatsa, Head Of Marketing, Sales and Service Strategy, Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd, about its EV business, as well as what’s in the pipeline ahead.

Q: How much will demand be impacted by withdrawal of subsidies? 

VS: The withdrawal of subsidies does have a slight impact on the demand side of EVs, but it has been observed that consumers are now more aware of the benefits of EVs, including low maintenance and running costs, superior driving experience, and other long-term benefits, particularly for the environment. In fact, when the Delhi state direct incentive subsidy (limited to the first 1000 EV four-wheelers) quota was exhausted, there indeed was a slight dip in demand, but it picked up quickly, and since then, our bookings have consistently increased month-on-month in the Delhi-NCR region.

Q: How is TPEML expanding its network to cater to EVs in terms of service, 24x7 assistance, and charging?

VS: The current Tata Motors EV 3S network is present across 60+ cities with over 110+ dealerships. This has been a substantial growth from the 20+ cities and 60+ outlets when the Nexon EV was launched in January 2020. In partnership with our charging infra partner Tata Power, the fast-charging network has expanded to 1000 charging stations spread across 200+ cities.

Q: Currently, supply is a big constraint. There has been a long wait for EV buyers. When will this be reduced?

VS: The shortage of chips and other critical input parts is affecting all OEMs globally. We are constantly in touch with our Tier I and Tier II suppliers to ensure smooth operations. In recent months, the situation has improved, and there are encouraging signs indicating a return to normalcy soon. We are in constant touch with our customers through our network partners to keep them updated on the progress of their booked unit.

Q: Are customers asking about 4WD EVs?

VS: As of now, we have not seen specific interest like this from EV customers.

Q: By when can we expect the first dedicated EV model from Tata? 

VS: Because of internal company policy, we cannot disclose future product plans.

While Tata Motors may remain tightlipped on its upcoming EVs, we think that the carmaker has the Altroz EV and probably the Punch EV in the works. These two models could join the carmaker’s electric lineup as early as towards the end of 2022.