Driven By TCO

IN AN EXCLUSIVE INDUSTRY TALK WITH CV SESSION, RAJENDRA PETKAR, CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER AT TATA MOTORS LTD. SPOKE TO ASHISH BHATIA ON THE TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP DRIVING THE CHOICE OF VEHICLE TRANSFORMATION.

- ASHISH BHATIA

Q. The Tata Ace continues to evolve since its launch in 2005. What led to its electrification?

A. This launch is as path-breaking for a Small Commercial Vehicle (SCV) as was the case in 2005 when the Ace was first launched in its respective segment. Since its first launch, there has been no looking back. The product has gone through multiple iterations of transformation, in terms of technology, in terms of the capability and in terms of capabilities to serve an array of diverse applications. It has given birth to multiple variants and met the needs of a higher payload, and a higher Gross Vehicular Weight (GVW) including springing out the passenger carrier version Tata Magic. In over 15 years of its existence, we sprung out the diesel variant and then came the CNG Ace in 2008-09. Today we have it in the EV guise. So it's quite versatile. Through the Ace, not only have we proved the platform's versatility with multiple options to choose from, but we have also complied with multiple regulations of the Bharat Stage emission norms including meeting the evolving safety requirements of the segment. It has stood the test of time and is very relevant even today. Therefore, it was natural and logical for us to take the product to its next stage of evolution in an electric guise.

Q. How are you leveraging group synergies and the common architecture and sharing technology at your disposal?