Tata Tigor EV Gives Same Range After Running 2.2 Lakh Kilometers: Owner [Video]
Tata Motors is considered a pioneer in India’s automotive industry. The Tigor EV was first launched in 2017, limited to just government and fleet roles. It was made available to private buyers in 2019 and even got a major facelift in 2021. Even today, there are many who think that it would be impossible to use electric cars for tens of thousands of kilometres. They would back these assumptions with concerns about battery degradation over time and a subsequent decline in range figures. A video shared online shows an owner talking about his experience. He’s driven the electric sedan for over 2.2 lakh kilometres and says that he still gets the same range figures as what he used to get when the car was brand new!
This video was shared on the channel ‘EV Talks With Dheeraj’. This YouTuber creates content on electric vehicles, EV tech, and ownership. In this video, he is seen riding a cab- a Tata Tigor EV. After his introductory remarks, the YouTuber asks the cab driver about his ownership experience. The driver then says that he has been using the electric sedan for the past three years. He’s put 2,26,405 kilometres on the odometer! (The same can be seen in the video)
The instrument cluster shows the charge levels to be at 78% at the time of filming. The indicated range then is 165 km. The driver then testifies that the vehicle returns a range of 200 kilometers per charge. This, he says, is the same as what he used to get when the car was brand-new, pointing to near-zero decline over the years. He then explains that depending on the use of AC, the numbers can vary by 10 odd kilometres: 190-210km per charge.
The vehicle in this case is the facelifted Tigor EV that launched in 2021, with revised styling and a better cabin. It has a 26 kWh Lithium-ion battery pack that has an ARAI-certified range of 306 km per charge. Users had then reported the real-world range delivered by this car to be around 200-210km. Taking these into account, if the driver here continues to get 200-ish km after driving the car extensively for three years, it is hard to disbelieve the ‘zero battery degradation’ narrative!
The cab driver also talks about his charging cycle. He seems to rely on a public charger near the Google office in Gurgaon. This area has several fast chargers and makes life easier for people who’ve opted for sustainable mobility solutions. The 2021 Tigor EV takes about an hour to charge from 0-80 percent.
This driver seems to have well-set charging cycles/ timings- something that would benefit in the long run. However, it is generally not advised to always rely on DC fast chargers, as the same is claimed to deteriorate battery health in the long run.
Getting to see owners complaining about their EVs not living up to their range expectations isn’t uncommon. Yes, some of these have to do with technical errors and faults within the vehicle. In many cases, however, the owner’s driving style deserves the biggest blame. People tend to drive them like they drive petrol/diesel cars and end up getting sub-par range figures.
Driving style also plays a key role in ensuring an EV’s health and in maximising its range. EVs need to be driven in a certain way. The regenerative braking system has to be put to good use and we have to be as gentle with the throttle as possible to get the maximum energy efficiency. This is something that the owners would learn and perfect over the years. The driver in this case, seems to have mastered this as well.
Ownership experiences like this would add to the confidence of other EV owners and could potentially increase adoption...