Tata Punch EV and Hyundai Exter EV are expected to launch in India as they have already been caught testing on Indian roads
Tata Motors has been leading the micro SUV segment courtesy of the Punch introduced in late 2021. The segment welcomed the arrival of the Hyundai Exter recently and the competition between them will intensify in the coming months. Tata is the leader in the passenger EV space and it will strengthen its stand by bringing in a range of new models over the next two years.
The electrified version of the Punch will more likely be the next biggest EV launch from Tata while Hyundai has also been caught testing the zero-emission Exter lately. Here we bring you all the known details about the upcoming micro SUVs and their possible launch timeline, features list, driving range and underpinnings.
1. Tata Punch EV:
The Tata Punch EV is expected to be introduced before the end of this calendar year in India. The IC-engined Punch is based on the ALFA (Agile Light Flexible Advanced) platform, which can also incorporate electric powertrains. It will more likely adopt the same Ziptron technology as the existing range of Tata EVs and will be positioned above the Tigor EV.
Expect the claimed driving range to hover around 350-400 km on a single charge and the interior will come with a large touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a new two-spoke steering wheel with an illuminated logo, a different-looking cabin compared to its ICE sibling, and a host of new safety features.
2. Hyundai Exter EV:
Spotted testing a few days ago, the Hyundai Exter EV will be part of the six new electric vehicles planned by 2028 for the domestic market. While rumours indicate that Hyundai will localise the E-GMP platform to bring in volume-based EVs to India, it remains to be seen what the Exter EV will boast about as its existing platform could be modified.
We do expect the claimed driving range to be similar to that of the upcoming Punch EV. The ICE Exter has been well received by customers due to its packed equipment list and most of the features and technologies will be carried over. The exterior of both electric micro SUVs will have minor updates to differentiate themselves from their ICE siblings. It could be introduced in 2024.