Facing rising EV competition, Tata Motors is turning to Chinese technology for its Avinya brand, reviving a delayed programme and accelerating future launches.
Tata Motors has confirmed it will use an electric vehicle (EV) platform developed by Chinese automaker Chery for its premium Avinya range, marking a shift in strategy after plans to use Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR) architecture for the programme were abandoned.
According to an exclusive report by Reuters, the company said it will utilise the Freelander platform produced through a joint venture between Chery and JLR in China. The vehicles will be manufactured at Tata Motors’ recently inaugurated facility in Tamil Nadu, with the first model expected to reach the market in 2027.
The decision comes as Tata Motors, being one of India’s largest EV manufacturers, seeks to revive its delayed Avinya project and maintain its position in the country’s increasingly competitive EV market.
According to Reuters sources, the first Avinya model will be shipped from China in kit form for assembly in India, while efforts are underway to increase local sourcing of components. A second model is expected in 2029, with the possibility of additional vehicles being introduced later.
The move also follows the collapse of Tata’s original plan to build Avinya models on JLR’s Electrified Modular Architecture (EMA), which had been intended for launch around 2025.
That strategy was disrupted when JLR decided against producing EMA-based vehicles in India, forcing Tata to seek an alternative solution.
Industry sources said the Chery platform could help Tata accelerate product development by providing access to established EV technologies and features, reducing both development time and investment requirements.
Tata described Avinya as a global premium brand and said collaboration with JLR and its partners would remain an important element of the programme. Chery, meanwhile, said it would act as a supplier to Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles under separate commercial agreements.
The arrangement highlights a broader trend in India’s automotive sector, where manufacturers are increasingly licensing Chinese EV technology despite New Delhi’s 2020 restrictions on Chinese investment.
Tata currently leads India’s electric car market, but competition from rivals such as Mahindra & Mahindra and JSW MG Motor is intensifying. Electric vehicles account for about 14 per cent of Tata’s total sales, with the company aiming to raise that figure to 30 per cent by 2030.
The agreement also reflects China’s growing influence in global EV development. Chery, China’s largest vehicle exporter, has expanded internationally through technology-sharing and manufacturing partnerships across Europe, Southeast Asia and Latin America, making its platforms increasingly attractive to overseas automakers seeking to accelerate electrification plans.
