Final Report: Gone too soon, our Punch EV proved that you don’t have to be big to be tough.
Only here for three quick months that flew by in a flash, the Punch EV didn’t feel like a ‘long’ termer in the same way most of our others do. That is partly due to the fact that it frequently changed hands within the team since everyone wanted to have some time with it, and thus, no one ever used it for a long enough spell. On a less favourable note, it’s also because we’ve actually had two Punch EVs in the fleet, as Tata gave us a temporary replacement car when it took this one in for inspection after it threw up a critical alert in its first week with us, and would not start.
Once it was back, the error never showed again, though it was not without other electronic gaffes, such as the camera feeds sometimes going blank, the infotainment system freezing, wireless charging stopping frequently, and my phone being regularly booted out of Android Auto. They really need to address these software gremlins soon. I’m also not a fan of how it has an auditory alert for… everything! Changing drive modes, engaging the parking brake, and even leaving the rear seatbelts unfastened (even without passengers) fires off some form of annoying alert. Show, don’t tell, Tata Motors.
No rear load sensors means seat belt warning beeps unless buckled at all times.
More time behind the wheel has allowed me to dig into the nuances of the powertrain a bit more. Mixing it up with other EVs, I’ve found Tata’s Acti.ev architecture could do with a bit more refinement. No, I don’t mean the NVH levels (those are excellent), but rather the control weights, brake blending and power delivery. It can feel abrupt and erratic as you move from accelerating to coasting to braking, and with the rapid rate at which EVs are evolving, there are others that now do it more seamlessly.
It’s not, however, enough to take away from the fact this is a great all-round package – and that’s before you even consider its price or its compact and convenient size. I’ve loved my commutes to work in it and the ability to park in the tiniest of spots – an essential trait for a car in Mumbai. Plus, it goes like hell if you want it to and has an almost uncanny ability to absorb even the harshest of bumps at any speed. While I’m far from the most efficient driver, even I managed a superb 6.9km/kWh in the Punch EV. But my colleague Lokesh from our Hindi channel WhatCar? India managed 8.5! The battery may not be huge, but you can really rinse out every cell in this car.
Good design, light colours give it a premium feel inside.
Perhaps the brevity of its tenure has also afforded me a greater appreciation of its light-coloured interior since I’m not the one who’s going to have to get it detailed every second month. When it’s clean, though, the effect it has is tremendous – as if it’s trickled down directly from Tata-owned Range Rover. Even the steering wheel is dual-tone leatherette-wrapped, grey and cream, which is a bold choice in an entry-level EV, and then there’s the liberal use of gloss black plastic that looks great, though it is prone to smudges, scratches and reflections.
Helpful battery, charging data on screens (when they work).
There is a sense with this car, and a lot of Tata models if I’m honest, that design comes first and foremost, whether inside or out, and I like that. The brand’s family aesthetic runs through the Punch EV, and it extends not just to the bodywork and upholstery but also to the screen graphics. Yes, those screens may glitch, and the text is too small in places, but boy, do they look good! They’re colourful, clean, and actually pack in a good amount of data and features.
Tata’s EV reign may have plateaued – the MG Windsor even took the top spot on the sales charts – but that appears more a function of market trends. The brand does need to sort out its electric and electronic gremlins immediately, which is something that’s plaguing the ICE models, too. Because once they do, the model range on offer is nothing short of impressive, and it’s only growing. As I’ve said before, there are bigger, better Tata EVs, but the Punch EV is a concentrated distillation of everything the brand has done so far. Will we have another electric Tata in our fleet soon? I hope so.
Also see:
Tata Punch EV review: Feels like a mini-Nexon EV
