An electric variant of Tata Safari would definitively disrupt the EV space as Nexon EV is already setting sales charts on fire
Out of nowhere, Tata Safari has been spied for the first time with green number plates hinting that the spotted SUV could, most probably, be an EV. With this, there are many unanswered questions now about what the company is up to.
First things first, the spotted car isn’t the manufacturer’s test mule as its registration number, according to RTO records, says it’s a purchased private car. The SUV is the BS-6 XZA Plus model with the regular 2-litre diesel engine.
The problem, however, is with the number plate colour. If it’s, indeed, the regular Safari, it should have had the the regular white and black number plate. But, the green plates the SUV has also look completely legal as they have all the bells and whistles w.r.t RTO regulations.
We believe the car truly sports an electric powertrain underneath but the question lies with who converted it from an IC car to an EV. There are many aftermarket manufacturers out there who can retrofit electric powertrains on normal cars.
So, the spotted Safari would have been converted to an EV and later got endorsed by the RTO with the green number plates. But, still, there are slight chances for Tata itself to take this route for a secret project in the works.
As the company has achieved never-seen-before success with the Nexon EV, who knows, it might also plan to take the initiative to the next level. After all, many manufacturers like Mahindra are after Tata’s EVs and it’s inevitable to stay focused on the budding tech.
As many as 5 electric SUVs – Mahindra XUV400, Skoda Enyaq iV, Volkswagen ID.4, BYD Atto 3, and Citroen C3 EV might be launched next year while the VinFast VF8 has been spotted here as well. To top it all, Ola is also launching its maiden electric car next year.
So, Tata can’t rest on its laurels like it used to in the last couple of years since the launch of the Nexon EV.
Though the manufacturer did showcase the Curvv and Avinya EV concepts, they won’t come here before 2024. Only the Altroz EV launch is currently in sight as the test mule is often seen outside.