This story is from January 25, 2020

We’d like to promote electric as mainstream: Tata Motors

With Altroz and its new BS6-ready passenger vehicle range, Tata Motors is looking to ride out the slowdown and shift to the new emission norms smoothly. Guenter Butschek, CEO & managing director, Tata Motors, spoke to tric variant. As for the Omega architecture, this too is battery electric-protected.
We’d like to promote electric as mainstream: Tata Motors
Tata Motors CEO & managing director Guenter Butschek (File photo)
CHENNAI: With Altroz and its new BS6-ready passenger vehicle range, Tata Motors is looking to ride out the slowdown and shift to the new emission norms smoothly. Guenter Butschek, CEO & managing director, Tata Motors, spoke to tric variant. As for the Omega architecture, this too is battery electric-protected.
We had in fact debuted a concept in Geneva 2018 that was based on Omega architecture. So it’s technically feasible but not commercially viable.
We would like to promote electric as a mainstream solution. The sweet spot in India to accelerate the adoption of EV is the segment below or just above 4 metres.
What other spin-offs will you offer from the Omega architecture?
Harrier has done well and December in fact was the best ever month for the model in retail and wholesale. The Harrier upgrade will be presented in the Auto Expo. There is a 7-seater variant on the Omega architecture, which is in the making, that will be launched soon. There will be more products in 3-5 years to TOI about electric vehicle plans, cost-cutting, and more. Excerpts:
Will all Tata Motors vehicles now also have an electric variant? Is that part of the plan?
Not yet. In principle, all future launches will provide an EV option. We already are offering a Tigor EV, a Nexon EV and an Altroz EV. All the new products based on the Alfa architecture will provide an elecimprove market reach.
You have shut your Thailand subsidiary. Will other overseas subsidiaries also face the axe?
We took a call on our subsidiaries like Thailand. As for Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicle — the economic environment in Korea is very tough. Medium-heavy trucks have declined, competition is brisk but Tata Daewoo is in strong recovery mode.
Are you capping your investment plans to ride out the slowdown?
The last nine months have demanded strong focus on cash management. We are focusing on receivables but also on spend. There is a serious review going on and we are controlling, not cutting, our spend. The adjustment is to keep control on our cash because cash is king in difficult situations.
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