Egalitarian Electric

The Tata Tiago.ev is here, and it uses a conventional platform from the ICE version of the Tiago to become India’s most accessible electric car. We hop in the driver's seat to see just how strong this hatch's value offering really is

- Dipayan Dutta

The conversation around electric cars and their cost efficiency has always brought us back to the same statement - electric cars may be the most cost-effective way to commute but that was a privilege up until now reserved for those that could afford it, with almost no electric cars in the mass market. The Tata Motors Tiago.ev is the car that is here to change that with a starting price of Rs 8.49 lakh making it India's most accessible electric car. The fact that even the base trim claims an IDC range of 250km makes it all that more appealing.

The Tiago's electric version still retains its ICE sibling's silhouette, but Tata Motors has given it a few tweaks to ensure it stands out and stays unique. Starting at the front, the grille has been replaced with an EV-style black plastic panel that sports the ev' badging. Something that you can also see on the fenders. In profile, the only significant change is to the 14-inch wheels which are cleverly guised steel rims with wheel covers that look like alloys. From the back, the tailgate now sports unique Tiago.ev badging to make it instantly recognisable.

The cabin stays true to its ICE counterpart with the only stark difference being the lack of the gear lever in favour of the electric-style rotary drive selector knob. The blue accents are carried over on the interior as well with inserts on the dash and centre console. The all-white leatherette upholstery is a nice touch and adds to the sense of space in the cabin. The centre console also features a switch to alter the regen modes, which allows you to toggle regen mode between 0 (no regen), 1, 2 and 3 (max regen).