Tata Motors is betting big on electric vehicles for the Indian market to drive sales in the market. The company is currently dominating the EV segment with over 80 per cent market share. It is expected that the homegrown UV maker will launch close to 3-4 electric vehicles in the country in the next couple of years. The Tata Punch could be the next model to receive an electric drivetrain in the country in 2023.
In fact, the Tata Punch could be the only model to be offered in petrol, electric and CNG fuel options. The electrified version of the Punch micro SUV will make its debut at the 2023 Auto Expo, mostly in a near-production guise. The Tata Punch EV is reportedly to enter production around June 2023, while launch could take place around the festive season.
The Tata Punch EV will be based on a new Sigma architecture, which is a heavily modified version of the ALFA platform. Tata engineers will remove the transmission tunnel and modify the fuel tank space to create a flat floor for a large battery pack. The modified platform is expected to make the Punch EV lighter, more energy efficient and also more spacious than an ICE car.
The Punch EV is expected to feature a battery pack similar to the Nexon EV Prime and a permanent magnet synchronous motor powering the front wheels. The small SUV could be offered with multiple battery pack options. It is expected to offer an ARAI certified range of over 300km.
The Tata Punch CNG is likely to share the powertrain option with the Tiago CNG. It will be powered by a 1.2-litre, BS6 engine with a factory-fitted CNG kit. The powertrain produces 73.4PS of power at 6,000rpm and a peak torque of 95Nm of torque. This is around 13PS and 18Nm less than the regular petrol variant. A 5-speed manual gearbox driving the power to the front wheels will come as standard.
