Click it and Unblock the Notifications
Tata Punch EV Review - Electric Uppercut
Mission control at Tata Motors these days is running full steam ahead into the electric age. After recently updating the Nexon EV lineup, the EV department turned its eyes to the firm's smallest SUV offering to date, the Punch.
The resultant Tata Punch EV has arrived a little more than two years after its dino-burning sibling and looks to be the electric uppercut its rivals were fearing with the new electric SUV heralding the arrival of a new all-electric platform for the Mumbai-based carmaker.
Tata Motors invited us over to Bengaluru, the nation's nexus of an electric automotive startup revolution to get to know the new Punch EV. So we hopped into the driver's seat of the new Tata Punch EV and took it for a quick spin in the garden city...
Tata Punch EV - What's Changed In The Move To Electric?
At first glance, the new Tata Punch EV looks like an electrified version of its ICE sibling. At least that's what the new Punch EV's design story tries to tell you...
The front bumper has been changed and the only gaps you see are for the 360-degree camera system and the miniscule intakes to keep the new electric powertrain cool. The hatch for the charging port sits behind the Tata badge (the one specifically made for the EV lineup).
The new Punch EV features full-width LED DRLs that stretch across the front of the electric SUV, a new signature design cue of Tata's revised electric vehicle lineup. The actual headlamps, fog lamps and cornering lights are housed together on the edges of the front bumper.
The other changes to the exterior are more subtle.EV badging on the doors, and the 16-inch dual-tone alloy wheels that look quite a lot better than the ones fitted to dino-burning Punch. Everything else has remained the same except for the fact the Punch EV has booted chrome off its badging and body giving it a much cleaner look.
Step inside and the changes are much more in our faces. There are now two 10.25-inch displays - one for the instrumentation behind the two-spoke steering wheel and the other a touchscreen for the infotainment which gives you your usual array of connectivity and phone mirroring options.
The interiors of the Punch EV feature a dual-tone look - white and black in our test car - which does make it look a bit more premium than it actually is. There is hard plastic everywhere you touch and the steering wheel only offers tilt adjustment.
The AC controls are the new Tata capacitive units with two switches for a few functions. You'll also find the controls to open the charging port hatch here as well and underneath the touch panel sits the charging ports (USB A & C along with 12V).
The front seats are comfortable and now feature ventilation which will make a difference come the summer months. In between the front seats on the central console sits the jewelled gear selector which adds a bit of bling. Right next to it are the drive mode buttons while the electronic parking brake sits next to the cupholders.
Get into the back of the new Tata Punch EV and well there aren't any changes as such. The bench seat is still offered with two headrests and the armrest still misses out on cupholders. For those on the taller side of the height spectrum (6 feet and above), headroom is still an issue and legroom can be a bit of an issue as well for the same demographic.
The Punch EV offers a slightly bit more boot space than its ICE sibling thanks to the switch to the electric skateboard platform. This has also unravelled a 14-litre frunk that is good for a small duffle bag. The boot space is now 366 litres.
The changes are thanks to the new acti.ev electric platform. This skateboard platform will underpin all of Tata's zero-emissions cars. The Tata Punch EV is 3,857mm long, 1,742mm wide and 1,633mm tall and features a 2,445mm long wheelbase. The electric Punch is 30mm longer and 18mm taller than its ICE sibling.
The new acti.ev platform is based around the liquid-cooled battery pack options on offer for the Punch EV. The base Punch EV uses a 25kWh battery pack with a MIDC range of 315km which is connected up to an 80.46bhp/ 114Nm electric motor.
The higher-spec Punch EV Long Range gets a bigger battery pack - 35kWh with a 421km range - which is paired to a more powerful electric motor that produces 120.7bhp and 190Nm of peak torque. The Long Range version of the Tata Punch EV sprints from 0-100km/h in just 9.5 seconds and tops out at 140km/h (claimed).
All versions of the Punch EV come with the 3.3kWh onboard charger. This setup charges up the battery pack in 9.4 hours for the base version while the long-range version takes 13.5 hours to fully charge. The faster 7.2kWh charger reduces this to 3.6 hours (25kWh) and five hours for the long-range variant.
Both versions of the Punch EV support DC fast charging with a maximum possible charging speed of 50kW. Plugged into one of these fast 50kW DC chargers both versions of Punch EV can charge from 10 to 80% in just 56 minutes.
The new Tata Punch EV comes packed with a host of safety kit including 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, disc brakes all around, hill descent control, hill hold control, 360-degree camera and a blind spot view monitor.
Tata Punch EV Driving Impressions - Electric Fun (In Sport Mode)
On the move, the Tata Punch EV is quite sprightly, once you get it into sports mode. There is a big difference between the two extremes - Eco and Sport, though you will end up starting in City mode every time you start the Tata Punch EV.
In Eco Mode, the response when you tap on the accelerator is a bit laidback. City mode is a bit more linear but Sports mode is the one to be in if you wish to get that push you into the seat response that EVs have become famous for.
The suspension setup on the Punch EV is slightly stiffer than the setup seen on its ICE sibling. However, there is a delicate balance between the ride and the handling balance that we found to be quite brilliant. The Punch EV flattens any bumps and ruts in the road with ease but is very stable as the speeds start rising.
The steering is slightly on the heavier side and is very consistent in the way it feels no matter which mode you're in. However, it is sharp and accurate enough which when combined with the handling characteristics means that you can have a bit of fun in the curves.
Braking is consistent with a natural and progressive feel that makes them quite comfortable to live with. The four regen modes (off and Levels 1, 2 and 3) can be selected using the paddle shifters behind the steering wheel and with the maximum setting selected can slow you down considerably while also charging up the battery pack.
Unfortunately, we were unable to test out the real-world range of the Tata Punch EV, due to the time limitations of this first drive-style review. However, we do estimate that the Long Range version of the Tata Punch EV (which we drove) will deliver at least 300km of range based on how Tata's other EVs have performed in the past.
Tata Punch EV Review - Verdict & Final Thoughts - An Early Electric Uppercut
The Tata Punch EV sits on a new platform that signals yet another leap forward for the marque that will leave its rivals scratching their heads wondering just how Tata Motors is continuing to innovate at such a fast pace.
With prices starting at Rs 10.99 lakh (ex-showroom), the Tata Punch EV is here to bring the EV game to a growing class of car buyers looking towards a greener future. However, we would recommend taller people avoid the back seats.
Continue with Google