NEW DELHI: Tata Motors began rolling out the first electric Tigor models from its Sanand plant in Gujarat on Wednesday, with the first car flagged off in the presence of Tata Group chairman N Chandrasekaran, group doyen Ratan Tata and CEO Guenter Butschek.
The electric models are set to delivered to state-run Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) as part of the tender for 10,000 EVs floated earlier this year. Tata Motors had won the first phase of the tender, which will see it deliver 350 vehicles to the firm — in two batches. “I am confident that our customers will respond very favourably to this electric model,” Chandrasekaran said, flagging off the first car.
“With e-Tigor, we’ve begun our journey in boosting e- mobility and offering a full range of e-vehicles to customers. This tender has effectively paved the way for connecting our aspirations in the e-mobility space with the vision of government,” Butschek added.
Tata Motors had secured the first phase tender by bidding Rs 2.3 lakh lower than the second closest competitor Mahindra. The tender saw intense competition with several other carmakers also reportedly participating. While Mahindra lost out to Tata Motors initially, it has been given the option to match Tata Motors’ bid and deliver 150 units units of e-Veritos to EESL. Mahindra had already pipped Tata in delivery, with sources saying that the firm has already made some initial deliveries.
According to Tata Motors, the electric drive systems for the EESL order have been developed and supplied by Electra EV, which specialises in developing and supplying electric drive systems for the automotive sector. “Tata Motors is committed to the government vision for electric vehicles by 2030 and will work in a collaborative manner to facilitate faster adoption of electric vehicles,” the firm said in a statement.