Tata Motors is all set to commence the production of electric vehicles (EV) at the Sanand plant, acquired from Ford India, starting from April this year, according to a senior company official.
Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd, a subsidiary of Tata Motors, acquired the facility from Ford India for Rs 725.7 crore in January the previous year.
"We are planning to commence electric vehicle production at Sanand with Nexon EV from April," stated Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles MD, Shailesh Chandra.
The manufacturing plant, with an installed capacity of 3 lakh units per annum, has already initiated the production of internal combustion engine-powered versions of the Nexon. It can be further scaled up to 4.2 lakh units per annum.
Chandra revealed that the company is also exploring the production of upcoming models at the Sanand facility.
Regarding the product pipeline, he mentioned that Curvv EV is slated for introduction around the second or third quarter of this calendar year.
Additionally, Tata Motors aims to introduce Harrier EV and the internal combustion engine (ICE) version of Curvv by the end of the year.
Speaking about the sales outlook for the next fiscal year, Chandra highlighted that the passenger vehicle industry is expected to grow by 5 per cent. Tata Motors plans to surpass this growth rate with a lineup of new launches.
Addressing the Budget wishlist, Chandra emphasized the importance of extending FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles) benefits to personal electric cars to accelerate electrification in the country.
He pointed out the positive impact witnessed in states like Maharashtra and Gujarat when they offered incentives to electric car buyers.
Regarding discussions on providing concessions to a US-based electric vehicle major, Chandra stated, "Our position is very simple that we are not worried about any specific competitor. Any player who is ready to participate in the EV space with upfront investment in localisation or charging infra development is welcome." He added, "We are not afraid of the competition...we are effectively dealing with the competition; all we seek is a level playing field."
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