Here’re The Top Mass Market EVs Set To Hit India Soon

The electrification of the automotive industry is gaining traction as several new carmakers are jumping into the bandwagon and the existing marques are electrifying their ICE-powered models. 

Completely built-up (CBU) electric vehicles from luxury brands have turned up in numbers, but in fairness, they are far from the reach of the majority of the demographic in India. It is the affordable mass-market section that will drive sales, and here’s the best of the best of them that are set to make a splash soon:

1. Tata Tiago EV

Expected Launch: September 28

Expected Price: Rs 10 lakh (ex-showroom)

Slated to make its debut on September 28, the Tiago EV will be the latest electric addition to Tata’s stable of electric cars. The electric hatchback is likely to become the most affordable EV in the country, and Tata could offer it with a 26kWh battery pack derived from the Tigor EV, which has a claimed range of 306km. It will borrow features like cruise control and regenerative braking from the Nexon EV and will get additional features like connected car tech over the standard Tiago.

2. Mahindra XUV400

Expected Launch: January 2023

Expected Price: Rs 17 Lakh (ex-showroom)

The highly anticipated Mahindra XUV400 was revealed this month. It shares its underpinnings with the XUV300 but is 200mm larger, thanks to tax exemptions on electric vehicles. Powering the electric SUV is a 150PS electric motor paired with a 39.5kWh battery pack. The setup has an ARAI-claimed range of up to 456km and can be juiced up to 80 percent using a 50kW charger in 50 minutes. Read our first drive review to see how it performs and what more changes it gets from its ICE-powered sibling. 

3. Citroen C3 EV

Expected Launch: July 2023

Expected Price: Rs 10-14 lakh (ex-showroom)

Citroen’s next offering in the country will come in the form of the electric version of the petrol-powered C3. The electric hatchback was spotted testing in India for the first time ahead of its expected unveiling in December. It is likely to get multiple powertrain options, which could include the 50kWh battery pack with a range of 350km, found in the Peugeot e-208 (same platform) in international markets. The Citroen C3 EV could also get a smaller battery pack with a range of around 300km.

4. MG’s second electric car

Expected Launch: August 2023

Expected Price: Rs 10 lakh to Rs 15 lakh (ex-showroom)

MG will launch another EV in its pipeline alongside the ZS EV sometime next year. Likely to be a small electric city runabout, the upcoming vehicle will be a mass-market offering with heavily localised parts to keep costs in check. It could come with a more compact powertrain than the ZS EV, which gets a 176PS electric motor with a 50.3kWh battery pack that has a range of up to 461km. Expected to be priced around Rs 10 lakh (ex-showroom), MG’s upcoming electric vehicle will spice things up in the electric vehicle segment below Rs 15 lakh, rivaling the Tata Tiago and Tigor EVs as well as the Citroen C3 EV. 

The influx of new electric cars has spiked over the years, and it will continue to do so as the majority of carmakers have already outlined plans for fully electric lineups. Although the electrification of entire portfolios might still be a while away, the transition toward it is well underway.