Tata Punch EV: In India’s changing electric car environment, Punch EV will be a game changer - no compromise electric mobility for the aspirational mass market consumer!
Introduced in January 2024, this small electric SUV builds on the success of its combustion-engine relative but adds a range of EV-specific features that make it a viable choice for city motorists who want to go electric.
Tata Punch EV: Design Evolution- Not Just a Shock to the System
On face value, the Punch EV looks to share some DNA with its ICE sibling, but upon closer inspection there are clear distinctions. At the front there a neat connected-look LED light bar which also acts as a charging indicator – a good feature as it helps would-be owners to see when the battery’s topped up.
The old grille is gone, replaced instead by a more streamlined, covered look that further underscores its electric nature.
The rear is still reminiscent of the standard Punch, but you’ll also spot slightly different details, such as the silver touches on the bumpers and the bold “Punch. ev” badging to denote that it’s the electric version.
This is new wine in an old bottle with the car being now mounted on redesigned 16-inch alloy wheels that lend a model look to the vehicle. One of the more pragmatic changes to design?
The one up front and center, a charging port that sits behind the Ta-Tahexagonal marque that opens with the push of a button—more elegant than the side-mounted ports in previous Tata EV iterations.
Available in bold colors including two-tone shades such as Fearless Red, Daytona Grey, and Seaweed and black roof, the Punch EV enables buyers to make a statement with their car.
Inside: Prlzlum Feel, Compact Size You travel light for one reason; to get where you’re going with as little fuss as possible.
Pull the door open, and the Punch EV makes a strong first impression with its updated interior. It has a clean and modern interior with a dual setup of 10.25-inch screens that operate as the digital instrument cluster and infotainment touchscreen.
The two spoke steering wheel carries the illuminated Tata logo and looks premium, whereas the jewel-knob type gear shifter takes the spot of the conventional lever.
Material quality is visibly upgraded compared to the standard Punch, with a crisper return from frequently used controls and a more grown-up feel.
The two tone color combo of white and black contribute to light and open feel with the ambient lighting that makes the cabin more enticing the darker it is outside.
Protective Seat Covers Since my truck’s life is part work, part business, part personal, I wanted to invest in the good looks and durability of GC seat covers.
In-car space utilization is pretty good, especially for a vehicle that is under 4 meters. While rear legroom is only adequate rather than generous, clever packaging means passengers should never feel too hemmed in.
Up back there are 366 liters of boot space, to which can be added a small, albeit useful 14 liter frunk that can take charging cables or small items such as a laptop bag.
Technology: More than Enough to Blow the Roof Off_COPY
Features and options The Punch EV punches above its weight when it comes to features. A touchscreen infotainment system has both wireless Apple Car Play and Android Auto, as well as a six-speaker sound system.
Higher variants get ventilated front seats, a single-pane sunroof, wireless phone charging, automatic climate control, and a voice PROMPT system that can understand commands in several Indian languages.
Safety gear is thorough, with six airbags standard in the range, as well as electronic stability control, all-disc brakes (long range options only), hill hold and descent control, and ISOFIX child seat mounts.
The 360-degree, blind spot camera system is especially impressive for this class, and it makes urban parking a lot less stressful.
Tata’s iRA app-based connected car technology offers remote commands for checking battery status, pre-cooling the cabin, and also finding the nearest charging stations.
Performance and Range: Realistic Electrification
The Punch EV is available in two battery choices to match the specific needs of you and/or your budget. The car is available in a standard range version equipped with a 25 kWh battery and 82 PS/114 Nm electric motor, and a long range version with a 35 kWh battery and 122 PS/190 Nm electric motor.
Both these options come with ARAI-certified ranges of 315 km and 421 km, but in reality these hover in the 250-300 km range depending on your drive cycle.
Performance is a strong point—especially in full-on long-range trim where it only just creeps below the 10-second 0-62mph sprint when it has a high-voltage battery fitted—meaning it is much faster than an ICE equivalent.
The immediate torque response assures efficient city driving, while three drive modes (Eco, City, and Sport) help drivers further customize the responsiveness of the system.
Tata has fitted the Punch EV with four levels of regenerative braking, which are selectable using paddle shifters, making it easier for drivers to extract the maximum out of the battery pack without having to learn the art of one-pedal drive at the higher regeneration settings.
Charging Infrastructure and Experience of Ownership
The electric SUV gets the industry-standard CCS2 charging port for compatibility with India’s developing public charging infrastructure. Using a 7.2 kW AC fast charger, 25 kWh battery can be charged from 10 -100% in 3.6 hours and 35 kWh in 5 hours.
50 kW DC fast charging is supported by both versions, which is capable of charging the battery from 10-80% in just 56 minutes.
For most owners, home charging is the easiest way to go about it, as the supplied 3.3 kW wall box charger will replenish 100% of the battery in 9.4 hours and 13.5 hours for the standard and long-range models respectively.
Tata offer an 8-year/160,000 km warranty for the battery (and the motor) which helps to silence doubters with fears about long-term reliability – an important element for the first movers in the EV game.
Pricing and Market Position
Punch EV promises to fetch you an incredible price point too; it is one of India’s most affordable electric SUVs with an ex-showroom range of ₹9.99-14.44 lakh.
The base variant starts at almost ₹2.5 lakh lesser than the Nexon EV and provides almost 70-80% of features and performance itself.
It’s this strategic pricing that makes the Punch EV such an appealing choice not just against other EVs – such as Citroen’s own eC3 – but standard premium compact SUVs in general, especially once you factor in the far lower running costs associated with electric power.
Tata Punch EV: A Step in Right Direction
Read MoreWith the Punch EV, however, Tata shows that India’s electric mobility story is not just about adding yet another EV to its burgeoning electric story, but also about democratising EV tech.
Tata has done a fine job of creating a car which in real-world conditions offers premium features, decent range and, importantly, great fun behind the wheel at a price which could help get India on to the fast lane towards electrification.
The Punch EV is intended to overcome such common-sense concerns among potential EV buyers, while challenges such as public charging infrastructure and higher upfront costs compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles still exist.
With its perfect urban-friendly size, with great number of features in side and an acceptable range to daily highway runs, it is one of the best candidate as First EV for majority of Indian houses.
As Tata forges ahead in its mission to lead India’s electric vehicle charge, the Punch EV is another strong indicator that EVs can be practical, attainable and desirable to regular motorists.