Tata Motors to introduce four wheel drive capability on its electric SUVs

Home-grown automaker Tata Motors is looking at introducing four wheel drive technology in the electric versions of its sports utility vehicles (SUVs) going ahead, according to company's passenger vehicle business head Shailesh Chandra. The company currently does not offer four wheel drive trims in any of its existing electric product range which includes models such as Nexon, Harrier and Safari.

The company aims to have a portfolio of ten electric products, including a mix of existing nameplates and some all-new models, by 2025. Tata Motors is looking at models above the Nexon range as possible candidates for the four by four (4X4) upgrade. "Our focus will be to try and do that in the electric vehicles. We are going to work on this in the electric version of our future SUVs," Chandra told PTI.

Some of the products in the company's expected line up of ten electric models would feature the four by four capability, he added. The four wheel drive mechanism allows power to flow into all four wheels of a vehicle enabling it to surpass all kinds of off road terrains. Rival brand Mahindra & Mahindra already offers such transmission across various models like XUV 700, Scorpio-N, Thar and Alturas G4. In fact, Maruti Suzuki too introduced an all wheel drive (AWD) trim in the recently launched mid-sized SUV - Grand Vitara.

Answering a question on whether Harrier and Safari, which currently come only with diesel powertrain, could be considered for a 4X4 upgrade, Chandra said that it was difficult to justify investment as sales remained dismally low of such models in the domestic market.

Talking about the future of diesel cars, Chandra stated that the fuel would remain relevant for some time in the mid to high SUV segments.

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