Tata Motors is all set to unveil an electric hybrid version of its Tata Manza sedan at the Auto Expo 2012. Tata Motors will be the second Indian automobile manufacturer with electric cars in its portfolio, joining the league of Mahindra.
The company has already earned a name for its Jaguar Land Rover and Nano in the international arena. Further strengthening its foothold in the market, Tata will enter the electric car segment with Tata Manza hybrid electric sedan. The car has sufficient seating space for five passengers and comes with the choice of a 1.3 L, four-cylinder diesel engine and a 1.4 L, four-cylinder petrol engine. No other detail about the car has been revealed yet, so all eyes are already set on the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo.
Before Tata Manza hybrid concept, Tata Motors had already displayed an electric hybrid concept of its Indica and Vista on the global stage. The Indica Electric Concept and Vista Electric Concept use lithium ion batteries and it is anticipated that Tata Manza sedan will also use the same. Indica, a subcompact, and Vista, a hatchback variant of the Manza, will also join the Manza hybrid at the upcoming Delhi Auto Expo 2012 at Tata Motors' stall.
At the 2012 Auto Expo, Tata Manza will be seen competing against other cars in the same category, such as Maruti DZire compact sedan and Mahindra Verito compact sedan. Apart from the hybrid version of Tata Manza, Tata Motors' stand will be in the spotlight for the diesel variant of its popular model Nano, which is expected to be unveiled at the grand auto show. The company is also expected to unveil its all-new Safari, supposedly called Merlin, at the mega event.
Like China, India also is eager to decrease the emissions produced by its cars. Though there are many automobile manufacturers that are offering fully-electric vehicles, hybrids are still seen as temporary step. Car enthusiasts in India will have to wait to drive electric cars as the country lacks the infrastructure needed for such vehicles. Therefore, the onus is on the government for putting the required infrastructure in place and subsidising the costs of such cars, as done in China. While more and more manufacturers are entering the electric car segment, it remains to be seen when the production and mass adoption of these will really begin in India.
