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Tata Motors shows electric Indica at SIAM Annual Expo

Tata Motors is letting the world take a glimpse at what may be the next big thing for the company - the electric Indica. The Indica EV prototype was unveiled recently at the SIAM Annual Expo in New Delhi and the car is slated to go on sale in Norway next year.

The Tata Indica EV has been co-developed by Tata, with Norway-based Miljobil Grenland. The car will be fitted with Lithium-ion batteries, which will power its permanent magnet synchronous electric motor. The Indica EV will have a range of almost 200km on one full charge, and a full charge will take eight hours.

Apart from the electric Indica, Miljobil Grenland is also said to be partnering with Tata Motors for developing an electric variant of the Nano. The electric Nano and the Indica EV are expected to hit the Indian market by 2010-11.

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Bajaj-Renault-Nissan JV to build electric vehicles

The Bajaj-Renault-Nissan alliance could extend beyond the ‘ultra low-cost car’ (ULC) to include a range of electric vehicles. Nissan-Renault boss Carlos Ghosn recently announced that he plans to start mass production of electric vehicles as part of his strategy to boost demand, which is now sluggish due to high fuel prices. According to sources in the vendor circuit, Nissan-Renault may look at its ULC alliance with Bajaj for affordable production of e-vehicles. When contacted, Bajaj Auto MD Rajiv Bajaj refused to comment. If the Bajaj-Renault-Nissan alliance does get into e-vehicles, it will be one more segment, apart from the Nano, where the combine will have a face-off with the Tatas.

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