Tata Motors has shared revealing insights about the ownership and usage of electric vehicles (EVs). These insights are based on analysing over 100,000 EVs sold in India, providing a substantial data set. Given Tata Motors’ commanding over 70% share in the EV market, their findings effectively mirror the broader electric vehicle market trends.
A notable observation is that 23% of Tata Motors’ EV purchasers are buying a car for the first time. This reflects a growing confidence in EV technology, overcoming previous hesitations. Shailesh Chandra, MD of Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, finds this trend encouraging, noting that it signifies the diminishing concerns about EV ownership. Further, 75% of EV owners use their electric vehicle as their main car.
Remarkably, half of Tata Motors’ EV sales are in rural areas, outside the top 20 cities. Despite challenges like limited charging infrastructure, erratic electricity supply, and power outages, these owners primarily rely on home charging, usually done overnight. Tata Motors reports that 93% of EV owners charge their vehicles at home or at work, primarily between 6 and 11 PM.
With a significant number of EVs in operation in India, both for personal and fleet use, Tata Motors has accumulated 1.4 billion kilometres of EV usage data. This includes details on driving and charging habits, popular long-distance routes, and commonly used charging stations. This wealth of information is being utilized to enhance and fine-tune their EV offerings.
Women represent 24% of Tata Motors’ EV customers, a figure that doubles the industry average. Chandra points out that this trend highlights the growing appeal of EVs among female buyers.
In terms of usage, EVs are typically driven for 26 days a month, which is 23% more than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Their average monthly mileage is 1,400km, about 10% higher than ICE vehicles, suggesting more frequent use.
