Archive · 14 Jan 2026
Tata Motors CEO Advocates for EV Support
Shailesh Chandra, the CEO of Tata Motors, says that electric vehicles (EVs) need to be more affordable to become popular.
He thinks the government should help by giving support to EVs that cost less than Rs 10 lakh.
Right now, batteries make up most of the cost of EVs, and people want them to go at least 400 km on a single charge.
Tata Motors has cars like the Tiago and Tigor in this price range.
Chandra also says that fleet segment EVs, which are used for shared transport, need support because they contribute a lot to passenger kilometres driven.
Without government help, EVs are not as affordable as they could be.
Tata Motors CEO Shailesh Chandra advocates for government support for EVs priced below Rs 10 lakh.
Battery costs account for 70% of the vehicle price, and customers expect a range of over 400 km.
Recent GST changes have made entry-level EVs less affordable.
Tata Motors' Punch micro-SUV, priced between Rs 5.59 lakh and Rs 9.29 lakh, has been a key volume driver.
The electric variant of the Punch made up 9% of the model’s total sales in 2024.
- Who
- Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director and CEO of Tata Passenger Vehicles
- What
- Advocacy for government support for EVs priced below Rs 10 lakh
- When
- 2025
- Where
- India
- Why
- To make EVs mainstream and address structural cost challenges
- CEO
- Shailesh Chandra
- Company
- Tata Motors
- Price Segment
- Below Rs 10 lakh
- Battery Cost
- 70% of vehicle price
- Expected Range
- Over 400 km
- Fleet Segment Contribution
- 35% of passenger kilometres
- Punch SUV Sales
- 202,029 units in 2024
- Electric Variant Sales
- 9% of Punch sales in 2024
Sources
Car sales jump 26.8 per cent in December as tax cuts drive strong demand and record dispatches
How to make EVs go ‘mainstream’? The answer lies in the below Rs 10 lakh segment, says Tata Motors CEO
Budget 2026 Should Focus on Affordability, Localisation for EV Two-Wheelers: Expert
