The Tata Harrier has been a good seller from the time it was launched in 2019. Even with a diesel only powertrain the car sold well, and its face-lift in 2023 pushed up sales even further. Based on the OMEGARC platform, based on JLR’s D8 platform, the Harrier has been quite a success. While everybody was waiting with bated breath for a petrol engine, Tata has hit the ball out of the park by launching the Harrier.ev, with both single and dual motors. With a bharat NCAP rating of 5 stars, the Harrier.ev is all set to electrically rule on Indian roads.
Let us start with the Harrier.ev’s external looks. The vehicle, as we mentioned before, has quite a cult following and Tata did not want to mess with the external looks. So they spruced it up to reflect the technology that has gotten inside of making this electric SUV. The battery is mounted on the floor of the vehicle to give it a stable centre of gravity. You can get either a rear motor rated at 238 PS, or a dual motor set-up with an additional 158 PS motor in the front as well. There is a choice between 65 or 75 kWh batteries as well, and the latter has an option of all-wheel drive as well. With dual motors, you get ‘Boost’ mode as well, which should be renamed as ‘Beast’ mode – o to 100 km/h comes up in 6.3 seconds!
Inside the goodies continue. Apple CarPlay and AndroidAuto are standard on all models and you get a 4 speaker + 2 tweeter setup on even the base Adventure 65 version. On the top models, you get a 12.3-inch touchscreen with a JBL 10-speaker setup, including a sub-woofer. Sound quality is of course excellent and you also get ambient lighting, seat ventilation for the front seat, and there is also memory for the driver’s side. A ‘Boss’ mode on the left passenger seat means that you can now move it from the rear seat itself to create more space for the rear passengers. 6 airbags are also standard on all versions with the top models benefiting from an extra driver’s knee airbag. The rear view mirror is actually a screen as well, with inputs coming from a camera mounted in the shark-fin antenna on the roof. Front input comes from the ADAS camera on the windscreen and the system acts as a dashcam, recording footage from front and/or rear, on a SD card.
We drove the twin motor version that puts out a combined horsepower of 396 PS and torque of 504 Nm. Combined with the 75 kWh battery, you are looking at a real world range of around 460 -490 kms, which is pretty good. You also get vehicle-to-vehicle charging as well as vehicle-to-load, so you can pretty much run a powerhouse here. The battery is IP67 rated, so you are safe from most of nature’s interferences. Interestingly, the high-voltage battery is guaranteed for the lifetime of the first owner, and for 10 years in a pro-rata manner if the car is sold.
Like all EVs, the Harrier.ev is a hoot to drive. Just put the drive-by-wire gear selector in D, step on the accelerator and you are ready to go. Performance is brisk even with the smaller (65 kWh) battery pack and if you are fond of going fast, this vehicle will surely bring a grin to your face. An improved rear suspension beans body roll has been reduced too and with ample space inside, every drive is fun. To keep you safe, an ADAS system with 22 features ensures your safety. A nifty idea though, is that now you can ‘summon’ the car with the remote key fob, to bring the vehicle to you or take it out of tight parking spaces!
The Tata Harrier.ev is a loaded car in terms of technology and performance, and does not look too much like an alien as well. It is silent, a pleasure to drive and loaded to the gills, something that ticks all the boxes in our car buying decision. Electric never felt this cool.
Prices start at INR 21.49 lakh.