What was being touted as the future of mobility is finally here. Several carmakers are on the verge of producing EVs for the masses. Both startups and legacy carmakers are gearing up to launch a host of EVs for the masses, primarily found in foreign countries. The large-scale options have motivated Europe and USA to drastically reduce the sale of new Internal Combustion Engined cars post 2030, though India has a lot of catching up to do.

A lack of a strong charging network entails India’s transition from internal combustion engine cars to EVs won’t be as quick as in many other foreign countries across the world. While most western countries boast of multiple EV options for their masses, India barely manages to list down a handful of EVs that fall within the population’s buying capacity. Though, the advent of huge investment plans by carmakers and EV-friendly laws by the Government has somewhat accelerated the EV transition. By 2025, India anticipates being home to numerous EV models for its population and here are some of the most popular models which will make their way to the Indian shores.

Tata Motors
Tata Motors is the sole indigenous carmaker to have EV offerings in its line-up, leading the charge in India’s electric mobility future. The firm already offers two EV variants - Tigor EV and Nexon EV, for the masses, but these models are developed on Tata’s Gen 1 architecture. It was built on the existing ICE platform with minimal changes to accommodate an electric motor, enabling a mere 250 kilometres claimed range. The coming five years are crucial to the brand as it announced an INR 15,000 crore investment plan to introduce a 10-EV portfolio by 2027. 

The Indian carmaker recently unveiled a concept built on Tata’s Gen 2 EV platform called the Tata Curvv. This updated platform builds on an adapted version of the Gen 1 made more suitable for electrification, promising a claimed range of about 400 kilometres. The Curvv is a midsize urban crossover featuring Tata’s updated and sleek design language with a coupe roofline, a first of its kind from the brand, and minimalist interior design draped in premium materials. The production-spec Curvv is slated to release by early 2024. 

Another concept showcased by Tata Motors recently was called the Avinya Concept. Planned for a 2025 launch, the Avinya teased Tata’s foray into Gen 3 EV architecture featuring a dedicated EV platform and 500 kilometres claimed range. Tata’s designers elucidated that Avinay’s looks are a mixture of crossover, hatchback and MPV. The concept’s interior featured no infotainment screen as Tata Motors believes that voice commands and not touchscreens to be the future of infotainment. 
Auto Expo 2020 saw Tata surprise the masses with the resurrection of the Sierra nameplate. The Sierra concept was showcased in a modern avatar with no plans announced for production at the event. January 2022 saw announcement of Tata’s plans to produce the Sierra as an EV-only model by 2025. The car is said to be built on a dedicated EV platform, assuming Gen 3, carrying a concept-resembling design. Another EV exhibited by Tata was the Altroz EV. The Altroz EV will most likely be based on the Gen 1 platform, carrying all skeletal components of the ICE Altroz but with an electric powertrain borrowed from the Nexon EV. This all-electric hatchback is Tata’s most likely new EV launch this year. 

Hyundai 
If Tata was the first indigenous carmaker to launch an EV in India, Hyundai, with the Kona EV, was the first carmaker to introduce an EV with a usable range of up to 300 kilometres. It continues to offer the Kona EV, now in updated guise, with close to 500 kilometres range though plans of expanding its EV portfolio are already in place. Hyundai has declared INR 4,000-crore investment plan to bring six BEVs (battery EVs) to India by 2028. The six-EV line-up is expected to have cars built on the E-GMP platform or carry the ICE-derived EV platform deployed on the Kona EV. 

While Hyundai is yet to spill more information on its India electrification strategy, the South Korean carmaker has an impending EV launch on its hands. The Ioniq 5 is Hyundai’s all-new EV hatchback built on a dedicated E-GMP platform, and the carmaker plans to launch it in India by the end of 2022 or early 2023. While sister company Kia went the CBU route to launch the EV6, Hyundai plans to assemble its upcoming hatchback EV to eliminate CBU-associated taxes and retail its offering at a more affordable price. 
The Ioniq 5 EV was awarded the 2022 World Car of the Year title along with the World Design of the Year and World Electric Car of the Year accolades. The car, with a unique pixelated LED exterior theme design, is offered in two states of tune in the global markets. India is more likely to get the base variant with a 58kWh battery and a single 169 hp motor powering the rear wheels.

Mahindra & Mahindra
2022 is gearing up to be a breakthrough year for the SUV-centric brand from India. Mahindra & Mahindra has revamped its product line-up with the all-new Thar, Bolero Neo, XUV700 and Scorpio N. With the ICE-powered portfolio in place for the next half a decade, Mahindra can turn its attention to the upcoming EV transition for which the brand appears to already have a plan in place.

Come August 15, Mahindra & Mahindra will unveil its extended range of all-new Born EV SUVs for the subcontinent. The Born EV range comprises seven or more new vehicle launches by 2026. The first one to come out of Mahindra’s stable is most likely to be the electric iteration of the XUV300 subcompact SUV. Showcased at the Indian Auto Expo 2020 in concept form, the eXUV300 will be based on the petrol-powered XUV300 but with a tweaked front fascia. The grille up front will be replaced by a plastic panel, and reports claim the eXUV300 would also be longer than its petrol-powered counterpart. This won’t allow the eXUV300 to benefit from Government’s sub-4 metre length incentives, possibly leading to a steeper anticipated price tag. The EV will most likely get a 40 kWh lithium-ion battery that promises to deliver 350 kilometres of claimed range. Expect a launch by the first quarter of 2023.

However, the eXUV300 isn’t a part of Mahindra’s Born Electric group of vehicles as it gets built on an ICE-derived platform. The Born Electric vision vehicles would be built on a dedicated EV platform to offer a higher range and more optimised power management systems. The first of the lot is most likely to be the XUV900 EV, a coupe-roof electric sibling to the XUV700 premium SUV. Mahindra has teased a new EV launch for July 2022, and the XUV900 EV is a favourite. The August 15 launch will see the Indian carmaker unveil three more EV SUVs, with the rest of the Born Electric Vision line-up eyeing a launch in the upcoming years.

Skoda
Even though parent company Volkswagen is on a SUV-offensive strategy for India, Skoda is eyeing its first electric car launch by 2023. The car in question is called the Enyaq iV and remains the carmaker’s first all-electric offering with an impressive claimed range of 520 kilometres on a single charge. The urban electric crossover has been caught testing on Indian roads. Assuming the same variant would be sold in India, the Skoda Enyaq iV would carry a dual motor set up with a 265 hp output powering all four wheels. The car gets built on Volkswagen’s MEB electric platform, underpinning the likes of VW ID.4 and Audi Q4 e-tron crossovers. Skoda will most likely bring the Enyaq through the CBU route, resulting in a steeper initial price tag before the local assembly is commenced. The Skoda Enyaq iV EV launch is slated for the first half of 2023.

Ford
This isn’t a misprint. Ford renounced its operations from India in the recent past but planned to retail only the niche imported vehicles for the subcontinent. Among many other lifestyle offerings, Ford has confirmed the arrival of the Mustang Mach E EV to the Indian shores. While that is undoubtedly a reassuring piece of information for Ford loyalists, the American brand hasn’t revealed any timelines for the same. One can expect the 2019-launched Mustang Mach E SUV to witness its India launch between 2023 and 2025.

Upon launch, India could more likely get the standard variant of the electric SUV. The base Mach E iteration gets powered by a 75.7kWh battery with a rear-driving electric motor, producing 262 hp and 370 kilometres claimed range. Though keeping Ford’s past of importing top-spec versions of its niche products, read a 5.0-litre V8 Mustang GT, the Mach E GT could also make its way to the Indian shores carrying an 88kWh battery with a 491 kilometres range and a 480 hp electric motor powering all four wheels. The standard variant can clock the 0-100 kmph sprint in 5.2 seconds, while the top-rung GT spec can do the same in just 3.8 seconds! As Ford will be importing the Mustang SUV via the CBU route, expect the prices to remain on the steeper side, possibly hovering over the INR 1 crore mark.

BMW
Luxury manufacturer BMW became the first premium brand to launch an all-electric sedan in India with the i4 EV. The German brand has enjoyed success with its electric vehicle launches as the initial two offerings - the iX SUV and the MINI Cooper SE, saw all allocated units get called for in no time. And now, BMW aims to build on its previous success as two new launches are anticipated for launch before 2025. The newly launched i7, the flagship electric derivative of the 7 Series executive sedan, will most likely find its way to India in a coming couple of years.  Similar to the BMW i4 and its petrol-powered 4 Series sibling, the i7 also shares quite a lot with the all-new 7 Series. The electric flagship sedan will most likely come equipped with a 101.7kWh lithium-ion battery, boasting a 600 kilometres claimed range and a dual electric motor set up allowing for 570 hp power output. 

The other vehicle touted to see an India launch is the newly revealed iX 1 electric crossover. Also known as the electric derivative of the X1 urban crossover, BMW might bring this mid-sized EV SUV to lure first-time electric car buyers to the brand. A 64.7kWh battery resides under the floor to provide a claimed range between 413 kilomtres and 437 kilometres. Power comes from a dual electric motor setup putting out 313 hp.

Mercedes-BENZ
Being the first luxury carmaker to operate in India, Mercedes Benz enjoys a strong following among Indian enthusiasts and buyers. No wonder the EQC EV, Mercedes’s first take on electric vehicles, found many buyers in the subcontinent, compelling the three-pointed star brand to bring more offerings to its customers. Adopting the trickle-down method of bringing the luxury offerings first, Mercedes-Benz has already confirmed the launch of its flagship EQS electric sedan in India. More importantly, the EQS will be locally assembled at Mercedes’ India plant making it the first to do so with the EQC being a CBU import, to keep the retail prices on the lower side of its competition (read BMW i7). The Mercedes EQS will further boast of the signature, one-piece dashboard-spanning Hyperscreen infotainment unit as standard. 

Mercedes-Benz recently hosted the global unveiling of its EQB EV, a seven-seater electric derivative of the GLB SUV. Reports confirm the same is slated to arrive on Indian shores by the end of 2022. The EQB builds on the ICE-derived EQC legacy of mildly tweaked electric iteration. The EQB features a closed front panel instead of a grille and a width-stretching light bar at the rear, similar to the EQC. Globally, the EQB was launched in two states of tune, and India is more likely to receive the base 228 hp, dual-motor 300 4Matic variant.