EVs A Priority But Not At The Cost Of Petrol And Diesel Cars, Says Tata

Tata is among the few carmakers who still offer a diesel powertrain after the BS6 Phase 2 update

With the global auto industry under commercial and regulatory pressure to shift from internal combustion engine (ICE) to electric vehicles, there's often one question that comes to mind– what does the future hold for the former till mass-market EVs become viable substitutes, sans compromise? While the government is taking steps to reduce the nation’s carbon footprint, there’s also a hindrance in prospective buyers’ minds when picking an EV, due to the price premium for comparatively insufficient range, along with the lack of proper charging infrastructure.

Tata’s Take On ICE Cars

With Tata presently leading the race in terms of the most number of affordable EVs on offer, it was only fair for one of the members of its think tank to speak out on what the carmaker says on the future of the combustion engine models in its lineup.

In a recent interaction with ET Auto, Rajendra Petkar, president and CTO, Tata Motors, said, “In the next decade, ICEs will continue to evolve till we reach net zero at the national level. This is owing to the government’s investment in alternative fuels, biofuels, and CNG. Going forward, the focus will be on creating a 'fuel agnostic' engine. Till the net zero technologies become completely commercially affordable with respect to the charging infrastructure, the ICEs will continue even though they will taper down from where we are today.”

ICE Lineup Of Tata

Tata is among the handful of carmakers who haven’t bid farewell to diesel powertrains even after the BS6 Phase 2 update, and has a strong lineup of ICE models. For now, the Tiago, Tigor and Punch are petrol-only offerings while the Harrier and Safari only get a diesel powertrain. It’s only the Altroz and the Nexon which get both petrol and diesel engine options. Tata even offers an optional CNG kit on the Tiago-Tigor duo and the Altroz, and will soon be introducing it on the Punch as well.

While leading the EV race, Tata still has new ICE models in the pipeline, like the Curvv and Sierra. It also has a new turbo-petrol engine that will be making its way into the lineup fairly soon.

Also See: Facelifted Tata Safari’s Cabin To Be Heavily Revamped According To First Spy Shots

Tata’s EV Offensive

Back in 2021, the carmaker had already revealed its plans to introduce 10 new EVs up to 2025. It predicts EVs may constitute 25 percent of its total sales in five years, and 50 percent by 2030. Tata seems to be on track as it already has three broad electric cars in its green lineup, namely the Tiago EV, Tigor EV, and Nexon EV (sub-divided as the Nexon EV Prime and Nexon EV Max).

In terms of future EVs that are publicly announced, Tata has showcased the pre-production version of the Sierra EV, along with concept versions of the Harrier EV, Curvv EV, and Avinya EV. It will also be introducing the all-electric Punch, which was recently spied featuring new details inside and out.

So how long do you think we’ll still have petrol and diesel models as affordable alternatives to EVs? Let us know in the comments.

Also Read: 50,000 People Have Bought The Tata Nexon EV So Far

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