Tata Motors, a leading manufacturer of passenger electric vehicles in India, has secured five-star safety ratings for its Punch and Nexon EV models under the Bharat New Car Assessment Program (BNCAP).
The announcement was made by Nitin Gadkari, the Minister of Road Transport and Highways, who also launched the BNCAP initiative. This makes Tata Motors' Punch and Nexon EVs the first electric vehicles to achieve the highest safety rating since the program's inception in 2022.
BNCAP was introduced to enhance road safety standards and provide consumers with reliable information regarding vehicle safety. The testing protocols of BNCAP are rigorous and align with global standards, aiming to incentivize automakers to produce safe and dependable electric vehicles for the Indian market.
The evaluation criteria under BNCAP include adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, and safety assist technologies, among others. Tata Motors' Harrier and Safari models have also previously received five-star BNCAP ratings, further reinforcing the company's commitment to vehicle safety.
For original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), prioritizing safety has increasingly become a unique selling proposition, attracting safety-conscious consumers and raising industry benchmarks for safety standards.
Despite the growth in overall passenger vehicle sales in the fiscal year 2024, Tata Motors reported that electric vehicles accounted for 13% of its total sales, a slight decline from 16% in FY23 and 20% in FY22. This decline comes as the initial surge of early adopters of eco-friendly vehicles diminishes, despite Tata Motors' introduction of new electric models like the Punch EV and a full-model refresh of its flagship Nexon EV.
The company continues to innovate in the electric vehicle segment, aiming to meet the evolving needs of the Indian market and maintain its leadership position in passenger electric vehicles.
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