Is Tata Tiago EV the most affordable electric car in the world?
Tata Motors has set the ball truly rolling by introducing Tiago EV (electric vehicle) in India at a starting price of ₹8.49 lakh (introductory and ex-showroom). This is the first sub- ₹10 lakh EV for private buyers in the country and one that still gets a whole lot of bells and whistles. While Tiago EV may be easy on the pocket, in comparative terms of course, is it the world's most affordable electric car as well?
China is home to some of the cheapest electric cars anywhere in the world with local manufacturers offering four-wheeled, battery-powered options galore. For the most parts, a Chinese EV called Changli - manufactured by a company by the same name - is considered the most insanely priced car and sells at around $900 in the local market. That is around ₹75,000 at present conversion rates. But comparing Tiago EV to Changli would be massively unfair because the Changli is cheap not just in terms of buying price but everything else as well. It is powered by a set of lead-acid batteries, has proportions of a golf cart, is pasted with stickers that mimic actual fog lights and paltry quality of plastics in the cabin. The Changli is aimed at micro-mobility and in that sense, justifies all of this.
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But in the world of more serious options when it comes to actual electric cars, Tiago EV may hold a place of prominence. If the slew of Chinese manufacturers are taken out of the equation, one of the most affordable electric cars in the world is Skoda CITIGOe iV which is priced at around 15,000 pounds (approximately ₹13 lakh). This is the first electric car from the Czech brand and seats four.
Then there is SEAT e-Mii Electric which is priced at around 16,000 pounds (approximately ₹13.86 lakh). This EV is essentially a rebadged version of Skoda CITIGOe iV.
Volkswagen also offers the e-Up! at an exact price point while there also is the Fiat 500e which is priced at around 20,000 pounds (approximately ₹17.31 lakh). Now all of the EVs are offered in select markets in the world only and the prices mentioned are indicative and subject to local taxes and incentives.
But the Tiago EV too may benefit from various incentives that state governments in India have announced which means the actual pricing of each of its variants could be different. But even if one takes into account the top-end XZ+ Tech LUX with its 24 kWh battery pack, the sticker price of ₹11.79 lakh could make it a compelling option for potential buyers.
