Electric Vehicles are still expensive when compared to ICE powered vehicles; however, 2022 proved to be a good year for EV manufacturers in India. Tata Motors is leading the EV segment with over 80 per cent share in the passenger electric car segment. In the coming months, we will witness the arrival of multiple new electric cars in our market. Automakers are also working hard to bring in affordable EVs in our market. Here’s a list of top 3 upcoming electric cars in 2023 which will be priced under Rs 15 lakh –
Tata Punch EV
After introducing the Tiago EV, Tata Motors is now preparing to introduce the electrified version of the Punch micro SUV by festive season 2023. It is reportedly to be unveiled at the 2023 Auto Expo and the production is expected to commence around June. The electric mini SUV will be designed on the Gen 2 (SIGMA) platform, which is the heavily modified version of the ALFA architecture that underpins the Punch and the Altroz.
The Tata Punch EV is likely to share the powertrain with the Nexon EV & the Tigor EV. It is likely to be offered with two battery pack options – a 26kWh borrowed from the Tiago EV and a 30.2kWh sourced from the Nexon EV. To be positioned between the Tiago EV & the Nexon EV, the Punch EV is expected to cost around Rs 10 lakh to Rs 14 lakh.
Citroen eC3
The French automaker, Citroen has confirmed that it will introduce the electric version of the C3 hatchback in our market in January 2023. Called the Citroen eC3, the new electric hatchback looks similar to the ICE-powered version. The electric hatchback will come with a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless connectivity, a digital instrument console, powered ORVMs, height adjustable driver’s seat and others.
The company has confirmed that the new eC3 will feature LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) cells, which will be sourced from Svolt Energy. It will feature a 30.2kWh battery pack and a front-axle mounted electric motor delivering power worth 84bhp and 143Nm of torque. The electric vehicle is likely to offer a real world range of around 200-250km on a single charge. To be positioned against the upcoming Tata Punch EV, the new Citroen eC3 is expected to be priced somewhere between Rs 11 lakh and Rs 15 lakh.
MG Air EV
Set to make its debut at the 2023 Auto Expo, the MG Air 2-door electric car will be the brand’s smallest electric vehicle in our market. Based on the China-spec Wuling Air EV, the new MG electric car will be positioned as a compact City EV and will cost under Rs 15 lakh. It is reportedly to enter into production in March 2023. The EV is likely to use a battery pack ranging between 20kWh – 25kWh. It will deliver power close to 40bhp and offer an electric range of around 150km. The battery pack will feature LFP cylindrical cells as we have seen in the Tata Nexon EV. MG will source batteries locally from Tata AutoComp. It is based on the brand’s new Global Small Electric Vehicles (GSEV) platform.
