Electric Cars News

Tata Motors will be introducing a more powerful version of the Tata Tigor EV for private buyers this year. Currently, the car uses a 16.2 kWh battery, offering a range of 142 km on a single charge, but Tata is working on a more powerful version, which is expected to offer a maximum range of 200 km on a full charge. As of now, the Tata Tigor EV is only sold to fleet owners, and government organisations as part of the EESL tender, but with the introduction of long-range Tigor EV, Tata will start selling the car to private buyers as well.

Tata Motors will be introducing its next electric vehicle for the Indian market by the end of the financial year 2019-20. The carmaker recently announced its partnership with Tata Power to set up 300 fast chargers across 5 metros in India. Speaking to carandbike.com on the sidelines, Shailesh Chandra, President Electric Mobility Business & Corporate Strategy, Tata Motors, said that the company is currently working on electric vehicles focused towards private buyers, and will introduce a higher range Tigor EV a new model by end of this fiscal year.

The charging facility will allow self-driving EV fleets to charge with no operators around.

The new fast chargers will be provided and operated by Tata Power and the first 50 chargers will adhere to Bharat Standard of 15 kW units.

The government recently announced a reduction in GST rates on electric vehicles in a bid to push faster adoption of EVs, and this has prompted automakers to pass on the benefits to customers. The latest to join the cause is Tata Motors, which has announced a price reduction of Rs. 80,000 on the Tigor EV. The new GST rate for EVs stands at five per cent as opposed to the earlier 12 per cent, which has prompted the reduction in prices. The Tata Tigor EV was previously priced between Rs. 12.35-12.71 lakh, and will now be available from Rs. 11.58 lakh to Rs. 11.92 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom Mumbai).

Hyundai has reduced the price of the Kona from Rs. 25.3 lakh to Rs. 23.71 lakh on account of the government reducing the GST rates on electric vehicles. Hyundai has received about 152 bookings in 20 days for the Kona.

Audi India finally took the wraps off the e-Tron for the public in India at the launch of its new dealership in Gurugram. The e-Tron is Audi's first fully electric model and is an SUV at that. It will be launched in India by the end of 2019.

The all-electric version of the Hyundai Kona exploded in an owner's garage in Montreal, Canada recently, prompting an investigation by the automaker. According to the owner - Piero Cosentino, the Hyundai Kona Electric was parked in his garage when the incident happened and according to him was unplugged from the charging point. The blast blew the garage door off in the process, while also leaving the roof partially destroyed. Local firefighters managed to douse the fire and no one was injured. Hyundai Canada has now launched an investigation into the incident.