Tata Motors is focussing hugely on electric vehicles. And it is also taking a futuristic direction in terms of design. The company unveiled the H5X concept SUV, which will be a step up from the Tata Nexon.
The Quint caught up with the head of design at Tata Motors, Pratap Bose, who said that the brand has had quite a bit of influence from Jaguar Land Rover.
Tata Motors owns Jaguar Land Rover and the technology sharing is evident in the designs.
The H5X SUV will be placed a notch above the Tata Nexon and is likely to sport a 2-litre diesel engine (similar to the engine found in the Jeep Compass). The concept had only four seats, but the final version is likely to be in 5-seat and 7-seat configurations.
The interiors feature complete LCD panel instrumentation and LED lighting. While the design borrows heavily from a Jaguar Land Rover platform (L550), Tata has kept its design elements intact – like the smiling face (or what the company calls the 'Humanity line').
Bose says that about 85 percent of the elements seen in the concept will be carried over to the final design as well – as was the case with the Tata Nexon. It will go on sale by the end of 2018 or early 2019.
What's even more radical in terms of design is the hatchback concept that Tata showcased – the 45X. This looks straight out of a futuristic movie set, so expect this car to be toned down. It does, however, point in the direction Tata's design will take.
Also on display was Tata's RaceMo – a supercar that will be available in petrol and electric versions. In fact, Tata Motors says India is likely to get the electric version of the car. It is nowhere near commercial production at the moment, but Bose says it is ready to be mass produced when needed, depending on market demands.
Here’s what the RaceMo looks like from the inside:
Along with these concepts was Tata Motors' fleet of electric vehicles – from the commercial Starbus electric to the Tata Tigor electric sedan and the Tata Tiago electric hatchback. These vehicles are production-ready and, in fact, the government of India is already a customer for the Tata Tigor EV electric sedan.
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