Vehicles has rolled out its Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) option across its complete electric vehicle line-up, giving buyers the option to pay a lower upfront price for the vehicle and pay separately for battery usage.
The programme, which was previously offered on selected electric models, has now been extended to the Nexon.ev, Curvv.ev, Sierra.ev and Harrier.ev. With the latest expansion, Tata Motors’ BaaS offering now spans its EV portfolio, starting with the Tiago.ev and going up to the Harrier.ev.
Under the BaaS arrangement, customers buy the electric vehicle without paying the full battery cost upfront. Instead, they pay a separate charge based on the distance covered, reducing the initial price of the vehicle.
The Tiago.ev, which uses a 19 kWh battery, starts at ₹4.69 lakh under the BaaS option. This compares with ₹6.99 lakh for the vehicle when the battery is included. The battery usage fee is ₹2.6 per km.
For the Punch.ev, powered by a 30 kWh battery, the starting price of the vehicle under BaaS is ₹6.59 lakh. The price rises to ₹9.79 lakh when the battery is included, while the battery usage charge is ₹2.6 per km.
The which gets a 45 kWh battery, has a starting vehicle price of ₹8.99 lakh under the BaaS model. The price is ₹14.34 lakh when the battery is included in the purchase.
Customers opting for BaaS will pay an additional battery usage charge of ₹4.4 per km.
The Curvv.ev comes with a 55 kWh battery and is available at a starting vehicle price of ₹10.99 lakh under the BaaS structure. With the battery included, the starting price is ₹17.19 lakh.
The separate battery usage charge for the Curvv.ev stands at ₹5 per km.
The newly added Sierra.ev is offered with a 63 kWh battery. Its vehicle price starts at ₹11.99 lakh under BaaS, while the starting price rises to ₹18.79 lakh when the battery is purchased along with the vehicle.
The battery usage fee for the Sierra.ev is ₹5.5 per km.
The Harrier.ev, equipped with a 65 kWh battery, has a starting vehicle price of ₹14.49 lakh under the BaaS option. With the battery included, the starting price is ₹21.79 lakh.
The battery usage charge for the Harrier.ev is ₹5.9 per km.
The biggest difference under the BaaS model is the lower initial cost of purchasing the vehicle. By separating the battery cost from the vehicle price, customers can bring down their upfront spending by several lakh rupees, depending on the model.
For example, the Nexon.ev’s starting price falls from ₹14.34 lakh with the battery included to ₹8.99 lakh under BaaS. Similarly, the Harrier.ev’s upfront vehicle price comes down from ₹21.79 lakh to ₹14.49 lakh.
However, the lower initial purchase price comes with a separate battery usage payment based on the distance travelled.
The BaaS model is designed to reduce the initial cost of buying an electric vehicle. Since the battery accounts for a substantial share of an EV’s overall cost, separating it from the vehicle purchase can lower the entry price for customers.
Vivek Srivatsa, Chief Commercial Officer, TATA.ev, said: “With the EV acceptance and demand growing manifold in the country, customers demand choices more than ever before, not just in the EVs they buy, but also in how they choose to finance them. Customers can continue to buy their EV outright, including the battery, or opt for BaaS and lower their upfront acquisition cost.”
(With inputs from news agency PTI)
