Tata Motors has just rolled out the iX EV, a 30‑kWh battery model that clocks a 300‑km WLTP range at a price of ₹16.49 lakh. It’s a sharp entry into the budget SUV space, putting a full‑electric option on the table for price‑sensitive buyers.
But it’s not all about the numbers. The iX sits on a 4‑door, 5‑seater chassis, with a peak power of 100 bhp and a torque of 250 Nm – enough for city cruising and a quick sprint to the highway. Meanwhile, MG’s ZS EV comes in at ₹22.99 lakh with a 430‑km range and a 2‑kWh larger battery, and Hyundai Kona Electric is priced the same but offers a 452‑km run. For those comparing bang‑for‑buck, the iX offers a 30% lower price but a 30% shorter range.
Under India’s EV mandate, the iX enjoys a 10% GST exemption and a 20% road‑tax relief for the first five years. Those savings translate to a net price drop of roughly ₹1.6 lakh, nudging the total cost of ownership down by about 8% compared to rivals that don’t qualify for the full exemption.
The car hit the showroom floor in June 2023 and is now available in 15 metros—from Mumbai to Bangalore—plus a handful of Tier‑II cities. Tata plans to double that footprint to 30 cities by the end of the fiscal year, aiming to match the distribution network of the MG and Hyundai models.
Dealers are already teasing a 40‑kWh variant that promises a 430‑km range, but the current battery warranty stays at 3 years or 150,000 km, whichever comes first. Prospects should keep an eye on charging network expansions in Tier‑II cities, as the iX’s 7.2‑kW onboard charger limits home‑charging speed to about 12 km per hour.