The Punch’s suspension seems to have been set up for India’s bi-polar infrastructure. On the new and smooth roads and highways, it absolutely soars, showing great composure at high speeds. On bumpy, uneven and battered surfaces, its ground clearance, entry and departure angles can be utilised in a way that the Tiago EV’s simply cannot.
The Gen 2 Acti.ev platform is a modular one, which means it can be expanded to include larger battery packs and serve different form factors. Unlike a pure, skateboard EV platform, however, it has a second layer serving as a more conventional chassis, while the first layer holds batteries, spread out evenly across the floor board at right angles. (Image: Tata Motors)
2/5
Not wanting to forego the practicality quotient of the original Punch, Tata retained its proportions, entry and departure angles. Despite a floorboard stacked with battery packs, the Punch EV has the same ground clearance as the original version (190 mm). At the back, the only thing that distinguishes it from the original version is the absence of an exhaust pipe and a metallic garnish at the bottom of the rear bumper. (Image: Tata Motors)
3/5
The 360-degree camera allows you to view the car in 3D and 2D, with six camera angles that can spot an errant rodent straying close to your car. The touchscreen has features such as voice-activated functions and a native app full of streaming and gaming services to help kill time in a traffic jam. (Image: Tata Motors)
4/5
The Punch EV is available with two battery pack options: a 25kWh one and a 35kWh “long range'' one. With the test unit featuring the latter, I had about 122 bhp and 190 Nm of torque available. (Image: Tata Motors)
The Punch EV is structurally and empirically superior to any EV made by Tata Motors so far. Yes, the Nexon EV might be more plush and roomy, but with the Punch, we’ve officially entered new territory from which there’s no going back. Its weight distribution, driving dynamics and feature list are enough to future-proof Tata’s EV division in a year where it’s likely to see some real competition. (Image: Tata Motors)
