Tata Tigor EV
Guenter Butschek, CEO & MD, Tata Motors handed over the keys of the Tigor EVs to Saurabh Kumar, Managing Director, EESLTata Motors

Indian auto giant Tata Motors delivered the first set of Tigor Electric Vehicles (EVs) to state-run Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) on Thursday. Tata Motors had qualified as the L1 bidder and won the tender of 10,000 electric cars floated by EESL in September 2017.

In phase one, Tata Motors is required to deliver 250 Tigor EVs, for which it has received a letter of authority (LoA). The company rolled out the first batch of the Tigor EVs from its Sanand plant in Gujarat on December 6. These units are now being delivered to EESL.

Guenter Butschek, CEO and MD of Tata Motors, handed over the keys of the Tigor EVs to Saurabh Kumar, Managing Director, EESL, accompanied by the senior management teams from both the companies.

Specific to the EESL order, the Tigor EV will be delivered in three variants — Base, Premium and High — and will be available in "Pearlescent White" colour with blue decals. Tata Tigor EV comes with no noticeable visual change when compared to its fossil-fuel variants. Sharp eyes may spot the illuminated "EV" badging on the grille.

Tata Tigor EV
Tata Tigor EV coming out of production lines at Sanand plantTata Motors

The major change lies under the hood with an electric powertrain. The electric drive system has been developed and supplied by Electra EV — a company established to develop and supply electric drive systems for the automotive sector.

The powertrain comes mated to single-speed automatic transmission that will provide maximised efficiency and seamless acceleration, according to the company.

Over the basic requirements of the tender, the Tigor EV, across the variants, would have FATC (Fully Automatic AC).

"This initiative of the Government of India to procure 10,000 electric vehicles is a bold step in terms of promoting green & sustainable transport solutions. We, at Tata Motors are extremely proud to be part of this project and are supportive of the Government's transformational vision of auto electrification in India. With Tigor EV, we have begun our journey in boosting e-mobility and will offer a full range of electric vehicles to the Indian customers. This tender has effectively paved way for connecting our aspirations in the e-mobility space with the vision of the Government," said Guenter Butschek.