Amit Saraswat 
Tata Motors kickstarts the year with a surprise — its first EV-specific platform — underpinning the upcoming Tata Punch EV. The bookings for the compact electric SUV are open for a sum of INR 25,000.
Tata Acti.ev platform
The Acti.ev platform, which is pronounced as active, stands for Advanced Connected Tech-Intelligent Electric Vehicle. Since it is an EV-specific skateboard platform, it is capable of underpinning multiple body shapes, sizes and battery configurations. It is also future-proof with compliance with emerging battery cell advancements that are taking shape in the global landscape of future mobility.
The platform debuts with the Punch EV, which boasts a front-motor configuration, the platform can also feature rear-motor and dual-motor configurations. The multi-motor configuration makes the electric platform suitable for the upcoming Harrier EV and Sierra EV SUVs, which were showcased at the 2023 Auto Expo.
The Acti.ev platform packs an optimised battery pack design, which has resulted in a 10% improvement in energy density over the current range of Tata EV offerings. The improved energy density also benefits from a range between 300km and 600km. Furthermore, the platform supports AC fast charging upwards of 11kW and DC fast charging upwards of 150kW.
Tata Motors also reveals that the new Acti.ev platform supports both cylindrical and prismatic cell types, which could be offered in the near future. Another point worth highlighting is the weight advantage, which in some cases could be around 3% (for BIW) compared to the ICE-converted platform. Furthermore, Tata has also focused on strengthening the platform for side pole crashes, thus safeguarding the battery for further loadings in the future, or second life, so to speak.
Tata Punch EV; you didn’t expect that did you?
All this while, we were made to believe that Tata would follow the Gen 1, Gen 2 and Gen 3 structure, with Gen 1 being the Nexon, Gen 2 being the Altroz and Punch and Gen 3 being the Avinya. However, Tata silently decided the cheat the code and bring its skateboard platform to the Punch EV. This may surely upset the buyers of the Nexon EV, owing to the advantages it brings to the table like faster charging and front storage to name a few.
In addition to the benefits of the skateboard platform and the new EV design, the Punch EV also packs a couple of new features above its ICE counterpart. Tata will offer the Punch EV in two range options — standard and long range. The carmaker is tight-lipped about the claimed range, battery and motor specifications.
All we know at this point is its features, which are electric parking braking with auto hold, front ventilated seats, 360-degree parking camera, cruise control, touchscreen infotainment and a digital instrument cluster. These features will be segregated into 4 variant options — Smart, Adventure, Empowered and Empowered+.
