Tata Tigor EV First Drive: A Fun-Packed Everyday Car

Electric cars have been around for long in India. However, for about a decade and a half, the EV industry was trotting up on the side lane, never really attempting to join the freeway.

If you look back at all those years, your EV was your ideological offspring; a tiny, green-themed toy that told the world about your commitment to zero emission. It really didn't have to be only about the environment, but it largely remained so.

Becoming Mainstream

Driving around in a diminutive, odd-shaped contraption gave you, among other things, the privilege to look down upon the philistines who honked at you for being slow and odd. You indeed loved the feeling, and forgave your harassers generously -- for you knew that you were part of a great mission.

The modern EVs still give you that privilege, but without taking anything away from you in return. From Tata's stable, the second EV has just rolled out. The products from Tata -- Nexon first and now Tigor -- show that EVs have become mainstream in India.

Everyday Car

These are 'regular' cars that have the added advantage of being zero emission vehicles. Tigor EV, a sprightly sedan, has been designed in such a way as to convince the skeptical Indian buyers that an EV is actually a normal, everyday car. And better than many others, in many ways.

If your old world EV rolled meekly on the slow lane, the modern EVs are the products for the fast lane. Tigor does that with panache too. It races from 0 to 60 km in 5.7 seconds, powered by a motor that produces peak power of 55 KW and peak torque of 170 Nm. Tigor makes city drives a thrill with its instant power; and with the Sport mode on, you get to set the rules on the road, and it's addictive.

300 Km Range

The motor is powered by a 26 kWh liquid cooled Lithium-ion battery that lasts a good 300 Km in a single charge in ideal driving conditions. With the S mode on and with AC used throughout, you will see that range diminishing a fair bit though.

The road behavior has been calibrated to excellent standards, be it the suspension, handling, or the sense of safety inside the shell. The build quality is very high -- where you expect the signature solid sheet metal, you find it. Also available are dual airbags, ABS with EBD, corner stability control, hill ascent and descent assist.

High Safety Score

Tigor is another car from Tata Motors that has scored high in safety tests. The electric car has got a 4-star safety rating in the Global NCAP crash test.

Loaded With Features

For a car in its segment, Tigor does not play second fiddle to any other in terms of features and creature comforts either. From a standard fully automatic climate control to 7" Harman touch-screen infotainment and from smart key and push button start to a generous boot space expandable to up to 375 litres, Tigor is your regular, everyday car.

Fast-paced EV adoption is happening everywhere in the world. Tata Motors is leading the charge in India. The carmaker accounts for 7 out of every 10 EV being sold in the country. It looks like Tata is spending top dollar to structurally change the personal mobility scene in the country.

Ziptron Platform

Tata says it perfected its Ziptron electric platform after logging millions of test miles on the Indian roads. The carmaker is also ramping up the charging infrastructure. There are already 640 charging points across cities in the country, and more are coming up.

Charging Infrastructure

If Tigor offers 250 km on single charge in real world conditions, you'll need just a single charging point between any two large metropolises in the country. Tigor's battery pack reaches 80 percent charge in about an hour if plugged in at a fast-charging port. In the slow-charging mode, it will take about eight hours to reach that level.

Tata offers an eight year/160,000 km warranty on the battery and the motor. Tigor EV prices start at Rs 11.99 lakh.