Tata Passenger Electric Mobility’s Vivek Srivatsa on roadmap for EV

With electric vehicles in India continuing their growth trajectory, the consumer demographic is rapidly evolving as EV owners expect a seamless blend of advanced technology, sustainable practices, and personalised services. In line with these evolving trends, Tata Passenger Electric Mobility (TPEM), a subsidiary of Tata Motors and the pioneer of India’s EV revolution, has launched TATA.ev stores, catering solely to EV customers. 

In an exclusive interview with Adgully, Vivek Srivatsa, Chief Commercial Officer, Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, speaks about the growth and the future roadmap for the EV industry in India; TPEM's strtegy to further growth this market, the company's newly launched retail outlets, and much more.

How do you see the current state of the Electric Vehicles (EV) industry in India? What trends do you anticipate in the coming years?

The Electric Vehicles industry is at the cusp of growth. Presently, it is less than even 1% of the four-wheeler automobile industry. It is at a nascent stage, but very soon it will hit rapid growth phase as more and more products come in and we get into other categories and segments that we are not focusing on at present. EV is possibly the fastest growing segment. However, there are not many products in the market from the EV side till now. Once we have bigger coverage in models, it will surely accelerate in top gear.

How are the Tata.ev stores different from other TATA outlets?

Marking a distinct transition from traditional 4-wheeler showrooms, the TATA.ev stores are designed around the core values of sustainability, community, and technology. These showrooms will embody the core philosophy of ‘Move with Meaning’ and offer an inviting and immersive space for the EV community. Recognising the very different expectations of EV buyers, the in-store experience has been designed to offer information, advice, and guidance in a friendly environment.

Moreover, the new showroom conveys a strong commitment to sustainability – right from its design, to the eventual construction, and now day-to-day operations. All major materials utilised are either recycled or recyclable, with many of them certified with sustainability from global green certifiers. The second focal point of this showroom is community, as this space has been created to invite visitors not just to purchase a Tata EV, but also for shared moments, like offering coffee from Blue Tokai, catch-up with fellow EV adopters, and attending events listed in the EVOLVE community calendar – transforming the store to a hub for meaningful interactions beyond a purchase.

The third aspect of this design focuses on technology. Thoughtfully integrating digital elements, the store crucially aims to support and not overwhelm its visitors. The screens would provide testimonials from current owners, addressing concerns and myths around EVs, customisation options for customers keen to know more about their Tata EVs, and personalised welcomes for families arriving to receive the delivery of their EVs.

How does TPEM differentiate its electric vehicles from competitors in terms of technology, features, and pricing?

At present, TPEM has over 75% of the automobile market. We are not really worried about competition at this time. Our bigger challenge and mission is to grow the EV sector.

We will be introducing three to four more cars in the next few months. All of them will be in different segments, therefore we will be under the consideration of more and more customers.

Secondly, we will also be expanding the EV outlets in the country. We have just launched in Gurugram for now, but would be opening outlets in more and more cities to give the amazing experience of being in an EV outlet to our customers. Currently, EV is part of regular stores, so the customers don’t get the exact feel of the EV segment, but EV customers are very different, they want to immerse themselves in the EV experience of the outlet. So, these stores will also drive more growth. Therefore, both the products as well as the outlets will be growing in the coming years.

Thus, for now, competition is not our problem, but growing the segment to its full potential is our concern.

What technological innovations or advancements can customers expect from TPEM’s upcoming electric vehicle models?

More and more EV products are becoming technologically advanced. Software part of cars is continuously increasing, and even in terms of battery efficiency among cars, we are seeing an improvement. The kind of range the cars can drive is improving. Today, our cars deliver around 350 km, but in future we will see higher ranges than this. A lot more technological advancements in terms of software will also be seen. We shall be able to get more features in our cars that we enjoy in our mobile phones currently. Software updates will be done regularly. Moreover, the technological advancements will be much faster, as we need it to be.

What marketing strategies are being employed to create awareness and generate interest in Tata’s electric vehicles?

New product launches is a marketing strategy. Last year, we were a part of the IPL and hopefully this year too we will continue with our association with the tournament. But the main thing is to have a direct connect with customers. We believe in having a good connect with our existing customers and existing community. Our one existing customer can get us five more customers, if he is happy with our services. As you must have noticed, the new store is built around community. As soon as anyone enters, they can see the community space – there is a Café and people can sit anywhere. We will also have more of community-based programmes in future as well. Most of our marketing strategy is on our existing community, but product launches and expanding the EV products and number of stores we have are equally important to reach an all India presence in the next few years.

Looking ahead, what is Tata’s vision for the future of electric mobility, and how does the company plan to stay at the forefront of industry developments?

The vision for future is very bright. As I said, we are confident Electric is the future in itself, not only of automobile, but across all segments and not only in India, but all across the world. A combination of green power and electric mobility is the best solution to a zero emission future. As long as we are generating power and are not emitting carbon, we are on the right track. Moreover, we should see and plan a future, wherein when we drive, we do not emit carbon. That would be an ideal world.

If you ask me what is Tata’s contribution to the world, I can proudly say that we are driving India today to a friendlier, healthier and zero emission gas rate. At present, six of the top 10 most polluted cities are in India, what can be worse than this for us? TPEM aims to move India to a pollution-less tomorrow. That’s the future we all want. I hope 15 years from now, we will see a pollution-less India. It is everybody’s responsibility to drive to a better future of our country. It is just matter of time when EVs become the future for better environment, not only in India but the whole world. With a dominating market share of over 71% in the 4-wheeler EV segment, TPEM has consistently demonstrated its pioneering spirit by introducing cutting-edge technologies and innovative products.

Responsible for actively shaping the future of mobility, the company also recently crossed the milestone of selling 1 lakh Tata EVs. The company aims to set new benchmarks in the EV segment by focusing on seamless connectivity, state-of-the-art design, exceptional performance, and uncompromised safety across its electric vehicle lineup. With a focus on community, sustainability, and technology, TPEM is redefining the future of transportation, the company added.