Tata Motors plans to soon open exclusive EV-only showrooms in India later this year. Speaking with the media on the sidelines of the new Nexon and Nexon EV launch, Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, said that the company wants to expand its EV ecosystem and will be exploring the possibility of exclusive EV dealerships under the Tata.ev brand. The company aims to test the waters first and will thus begin the process in a phased manner, with a handful of dealerships, starting this year.
Also Read: Tata Nexon EV Facelift Launched In India; Prices Start From Rs 14.74 Lakh
Tata Motors has rebranded its EV business as Tata.ev and aims to test the waters with these EV-only dealerships
Talking about the roadmap for the EV-only dealerships, Chandra said, “We will start going for exclusive EV dealerships from the coming quarters, but it will start in phases. The first phase will be about experimenting and first learning and perfecting. It’s not a big bang that we are going to do. So, therefore we’ll start with very few. It’s logical because you need to see the implications of this because you have to ensure you start with a viable channel. And at the same time, you see that exactly the experience you wanted to deliver, is being delivered or there are certain things you need to change. So, we learn in this phase 1.”
Also read: 2023 Tata Nexon EV Facelift Review: More Charged Up Now!
Chardra has hinted that the company is likely to open up to 5 EV exclusive dealerships in the first phase. And depending on the learnings from these experimental outlets, it will plan the course for the next phase.
Tata Motors currently has three electric vehicles in its fleet including the Tiago EV
Right now, Tata Motors sells three electric vehicles in the passenger vehicle space – Tiago EV, Tigor EV and Nexon EV. Additionally, the company also sells the Xpres-T EV, based on the Tigor EV, in the fleet market. Right now, all-electric vehicles are sold in the same dealerships, alongside the company's Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles. With this Tata aims to offer an experience suited for EV customers as the company believes their needs are different from ICE vehicle buyers.
When asked about the investments for this exclusive EV network, Chandra said, “Like a channel investment you see, which is done by mostly the channel partner, and there is a definition, which is slightly more sophisticated and a better experience, given the profile of the customer. So, there will be a delta investment. There will be a charger also involved. Definitely, there is a slightly greater investment done in every outlet.”
The 2023 Tata Nexon EV is possibly the most advanced EV from the home-grown automaker
Tata Motors recently launched the new 2023 Nexon EV facelift in India, priced between Rs 14.74 lakh to Rs 19.94 lakh (ex-showroom). In addition to design and styling updates, the updated Nexon EV now also comes with more premium creature comforts and smarter tech. The electric SUV is offered in both Mid- and Long-Range models, the former offering an increased ARAI-certified range of 465 km.
