The Tata Harrier EV is expected to go on sale later this year or in 2024 and it will be positioned above the Nexon EV
Only a day before the opening day of the 2023 Auto Expo, Tata Motors released a teaser video for the electrified versions of the Harrier and it did surprise everybody considering that the near-production Punch EV was expected to be showcased at the biennial motor show. Nevertheless, it signifies the homegrown brand’s intention to vastly expand its EV portfolio sooner rather than later.
The entry-level Tiago EV was introduced only a few weeks ago. Back to the Tata Harrier EV, it gains a heavily updated exterior to differentiate itself from the regular ICE sibling and the prototype showcased is in its near-production state. The exterior features an illuminated Tata logo mounted on the shut-off front grille, a deep housing for the stacked headlamps, sharp LED DRLs as in the ICE model and a wide air intake on the bumper.
Other visual highlights are a prominent metallic garnish on the front and rear bumpers, dual-tone alloy wheels, and a sharper LED light strip and .EV badge on the front doors. The shape of the front windshield, pillars when viewed from the sides, roofline, boot structure, etc look familiar to the IC-engined Harrier and thus the proportions could be almost similar.
The Harrier and Safari are based on the OMEGA (Optimal Modular Efficient Global Advanced) architecture in their ICE guises and it has been modified to suit the requirements of an electric vehicle in the form of Gen 2 with a preference towards electrification. The omission of a transmission tunnel and creating a flat floor would theoretically increase the cabin space.
The Tata Harrier EV will come under the .EV sub-brand and it will be equipped with larger battery packs compared to the best-selling Nexon EV. The interior will also be more futuristic than the standard ICE midsize SUV sibling. With the Tata Harrier EV looking almost production ready, we can expect it to make its showroom debut sometime later this calendar year or in early 2024.
Whether the Tata Punch EV will be the next to arrive or not is yet unknown but the chances do exist. The Harrier EV accompanies the near-production Curvv and Avinya concept at Tata’s pavilion. The Harrier EV will apparently be positioned above the Nexon EV Max as Tata could look to have a first mover advantage at a segment that is yet to be explored. Tata has confirmed a 4X4 EV powertrain meaning that dual electric motors will be employed – one driving each axle.