When launched, Tata Harrier EV and Safari EV might carry similar powertrains and offer different seating layouts like their ICE versions
Indian electric car segment used to be dominated by Tata Motors. The company will be adding more EVs to its arsenal to appeal to a wider range of buyers across many price points. Harrier EV will be a key to cracking premium e-SUV space. Recent spy shots of Harrier EV show more powertrain-related details and these are in a good direction.
Tata Harrier EV AWD – New details emerge
With more players entering the scene, Tata’s market share in electric car segment has reduced considerably. To increase its market share, Tata is taking a two-pronged approach, launching Curvv EV and Harrier EV in the market soon, targeting two different size and price segments.
These recent test mules were spotted in Leh Ladakh region, suggesting that the company has commenced altitude testing for the scaled-up version of Acti.ev platform that upcoming Harrier EV and Safari EV will be positioned on. Both vehicles are likely to come equipped with identical powertrains while offering different seating layouts. Similar to their ICE counterparts.
After a long time, there is good news from Tata’s upcoming vehicles that will appeal to SUV purists and enthusiasts. In this sense, Tata Harrier EV test mule spotted in Leh Ladakh region is equipped with an electric motor powering the rear wheels. This is highly likely to be the AWD version of upcoming Harrier EV with two motors.
As revealed by Tata Motors engineers during Punch EV media drive, company’s new Acti.ev platform supports single-motor FWD and RWD along with dual-motor AWD layouts. We wish Tata is offering a single-motor RWD layout with lower variants of Harrier EV as well.
Recent Harrier EV spy shots show what looks like a fully independent rear suspension. Independent rear suspension is not new for Tata as they offered it on cheap cars like Indica. Heck, even the Nano had it. Missing on Tata’s Harrier and Safari models today, upcoming Harrier EV and Safari EV might come equipped with rear independent suspension for a sophisticated ride and handling.
What to expect?
Tata Motors has already unveiled Harrier EV concept at 2024 Auto Expo and the production version should look very close to it. It will have EV-specific design elements at the front and rear. On the inside, Harrier EV and Safari EV will be almost identical to their ICE counterparts, except for a few specifics.
Features like front and rear ventilated seats, dual-zone climate control, level-2 ADAS, 360-degree camera, panoramic sunroof, soft-touch plastics on the inside, swanky 19-inch aero alloy wheels, 12.3-inch infotainment screen, 10.2-inch instrument screen, electrically adjustable driver seat, telematics and more will be on offer.
Even though the specifics of Harrier EV’s powertrains are not known, one can speculate a large enough battery around promising 500 km range. The main takeaway from the recently spotted test mule is the AWD dual-motor layout. A modern Tata vehicle with the drive going to its rear wheels! Something that never happened in Tata’s portfolio since Hexa was discontinued.
