The 2026 Tata Tiago EV has faster charging, is more spacious, has more features and a lifetime battery warranty. So how is st still so affordable, wonders Rajesh Alva.
At an aggressive starting price of 18.79 lakh, the Tata Sierra.ev has a real-world range of 510 to 530 km with the 75 kWh battery pack on a single charge while the smaller 63 kWh battery coughs out a real-world range of 440 to 460 km, plus lifetime battery warranty as standard. And with the intelligent Quad-Wheel Drive system pushing out 504 Nm of torque, the EV flies from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.8 seconds, says Rajesh Karkera.
Mountain drives are the ultimate test of an EV's stamina. Here is how the Sierra.ev fared over a rigorous test loop in the Nilgiris, says Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com.
Rajesh Karkera takes his family of EV disbelievers on a road trip to Alibaug on the Mahindra XEV 9e and comes back as a unit singing the EV's praise. This is his account.
First Drive: Why the New Tata Sierra Was Born to be an EV
Tata Motors expands its market leadership in India's electric passenger vehicle (ePV) segment, capturing 39 per cent of the market in Q1FY27, while simultaneously strengthening its position as the nation's second-largest carmaker amidst fierce competition and rapid market growth.
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles is gearing up for the next phase of electric vehicle adoption in India, targeting over 30% EV penetration by FY31. The company plans to launch four new products and over ten refreshes by FY31, expanding its portfolio to ten EV nameplates. This strategy aims to move beyond early adopters to engage the early and late majority consumers, focusing on enhanced range, faster charging, and improved battery technology.
India's electric vehicle market is experiencing an unprecedented boom with a 37 per cent increase in new entrants, driven by supportive policies and infrastructure.
Tata Motors on Wednesday said it is repositioning its Nexon EV range in the market, with changes in pricing and the addition of new trims, to maintain the leadership position in the segment amid new launches by the competitors. The Nexon EV range now starts from Rs 14.49 lakh. The Nexon EV Prime has now tagged between Rs 14.49 and Rs 16.99 lakh (all prices ex-showroom). Earlier, the starting price was Rs 14.99 lakh for the range.
Mercedes-Benz India plans to continue introducing hybrid vehicles, including the new AMG E 53 plug-in hybrid EV, to meet consumer demand, viewing hybrids as a crucial bridge to full electrification despite the absence of supportive government policies.
Mercedes-Benz India is exploring a larger role for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in its portfolio, with plans to potentially introduce the technology in more models beyond the newly launched S-Class plug-in hybrid. This strategy aims to cater to luxury car buyers who are hesitant about fully electric vehicles due to concerns over charging infrastructure and range.
India's electric passenger vehicle market saw an 87.4 per cent year-on-year increase in FY26, reaching 233,246 units, primarily driven by the mid-size SUV segment (20-30 lakh price bracket), while the entry-level segment (sub-10 lakh) experienced a decline.
Government schemes such as the PM E-Drive initiative, with allocations of around Rs 2,000 crore for charging points deployment, are helping accelerate rollout
India's home-grown EV startups say the government's auto PLI scheme is helping big players while shutting out innovators building electric two- and three-wheelers from scratch.
Nissan Motor India aims to achieve a fourfold increase in domestic sales, targeting 100,000 units annually, and export another 100,000 vehicles from its Chennai plant by financial year 2027-28 (FY28), marking a significant revival of its presence in the Indian passenger vehicle market.
With its Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) model Tata Motors just redrew the EV battle lines, says Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com
Bajaj Auto plans to increase its annual production capacity by nearly 25 per cent, from around 7 million to over 9 million vehicles, in the coming quarters. This expansion is driven by strong export demand and rapid growth in electric vehicles, which have stretched current capacity across key product segments.
JSW MG Motor India has unveiled ADAPT, India's first multi-powertrain new energy vehicle (NEV) platform, designed to support electric, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and range-extender electric vehicles. The company plans to launch one electric SUV and one plug-in hybrid SUV based on this architecture during FY27, aiming to broaden its NEV portfolio and accelerate adoption in India.
India's electric vehicle (EV) market experienced a significant surge in financial year 2025-26 (FY26), with e4W registrations nearly doubling and e2Ws growing by over 20%, propelled by expanding charging infrastructure, diverse model launches, and accessible financing.
The Delhi government has approved an ambitious electric vehicle policy that eliminates registration fees and road taxes for EVs priced up to Rs 30 lakh, offers a Rs 1 lakh incentive for purchasing new EVs while scrapping old vehicles, and mandates that only electric two-wheelers can be registered starting April 2028.
The highly anticipated new generation Toyota Hilux is set to launch in India in July this year with significant upgrades, premium features, and a powerful mild-hybrid diesel engine, aiming to capture the Indian pick-up truck market.
India's domestic passenger vehicle sales experienced a robust 24.6 per cent year-on-year increase in June, propelled by favourable government policies like income tax relief and repo rate cuts, alongside resilient rural demand, even as global crude oil prices pose potential cost pressures.
With the 40kWh battery and 65kW faster charging, it is now a legitimate primary car for a small family that can handle weekend trips easily, says Rajesh Karkera.
Corporate India is projected to offer salary increments ranging from 8.6 per cent to 10.2 per cent across various industries in the financial year 2026-27, primarily fuelled by a sustained demand for skilled and execution-focused talent, according to a TeamLease Services report.
The luxury carmaker plans to drive growth through local assembly of the MINI Countryman, expansion into 10 new cities and a broader product portfolio.
'While salary increments are moderating compared to last year, not all functions are moving at the same pace.'
American electric carmaker Tesla has launched the 2026 Model Y Premium rear-wheel drive in India, priced at Rs 50.89 lakh, making it the company's most affordable offering in the country.
Maruti Suzuki Chairman R C Bhargava is pushing for increased government incentives for biogas-powered vehicles over hybrids, emphasising their net-zero carbon emissions and the valuable organic manure they produce, while also advocating for continued GST benefits for electric vehicles.
Electric vehicle (EV) penetration in the luxury car segment has seen a drop by nearly 3 percentage points in the GST 2.0 era with the internal combustion engine versions offering better total cost of ownership, according to industry players. While the trend is also visible in the mass market segment, it is the entry luxury segment that is witnessing a more marked shift towards internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles as price difference between EV and ICE widened under the new GST rates.
Bajaj Auto, the sole player in India's CNG-powered motorcycle segment, has seen a dramatic drop in registrations for its Freedom 125 CNG bike, from a peak of 12,167 in November 2024 to just 1,211 in May this year, primarily due to reduced price arbitrage between petrol and CNG and growing availability challenges.
Japanese automaker Honda plans to introduce over 10 new models, including electric vehicles and compact SUVs, in India by 2030, identifying India as one of its three key markets for future growth.
Maruti Suzuki India plans to localise battery production and other critical components over the next few years as part of strengthening the overall EV ecosystem in the country. The company, which plans to launch its first electric vehicle - e VITARA in the domestic market next year, is looking to instill confidence in the buyers as it looks to strengthen the overall EV ecosystem.
With features usually seen in more expensive cars and segment-first paddle shifters, the Tiago offers excellent value for money, says Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com.
EV manufacturers point out that converting a regular petrol car into a flex-fuel vehicle requires only about Rs 17,000-25,000 per unit, whereas developing an EV demands vastly greater investments in research, battery development, and localisation.
Tata Motors' 2026 Tiago facelift is a tech-loaded and safety-focused entry-level hatchback, with prices starting at Rs 4.69 lakh.
Toyota on January 20, 2026, officially entered India's mass electric vehicle segment with the maiden launch of the Toyota Urban Cruiser Ebella in Mumbai.
Escalating geopolitical tensions in West Asia are beginning to disrupt India's automotive supply chain, leading to rising commodity prices, logistics bottlenecks, material shortages, and pressure on consumer demand, with two-wheeler makers already raising prices.
India's leading passenger vehicle manufacturers are significantly increasing investments and factory capacities, alongside planning major product launches for FY27, driven by strong confidence in sustained domestic demand growth despite global geopolitical tensions and supply chain risks.
Mahindra pushes premium EV strategy with XEV 9e Cineluxe, blending luxury design, immersive technology and over 500 km range capability.
Tata Motors' MD and CEO, Girish Wagh, has identified rising diesel prices as the most significant threat to India's commercial vehicle (CV) industry recovery, despite the sector recently surpassing its pre-FY19 wholesale peak. Diesel costs account for 25-50% of a truck operator's total cost of ownership, making any increase a critical concern for fleet economics.
