Punch EV, Nexon EV get 5-star safety rating from Bharat-NCAP

Tata Motors’ electric vehicle arm Tata Passenger Electric Mobility on Thursday said that the Punch EV and the Nexon EV have achieved 5-star Bharat-NCAP safety ratings.

While the Punch EV set a major milestone by receiving the highest ever scores achieved by any vehicle till date – 31.46 out of 32 and 45 out of 49 points for adult occupant protection (AOP) and child occupant protection (COP) respectively, the Nexon EV scored 29.86 and 44.95 points for AOP and COP respectively.

This comes weeks after Tata's Punch, which is offered in multiple powertrains like petrol, CNG and EV, toppled Maruti Suzuki’s top-selling models like Swift and WagonR to emerge as the best-selling car in India in March and April this year. Maruti’s Swift, however, reclaimed the top spot in May. To be sure, Maruti Suzuki has 3,880 sales touchpoints covering over 2,500 cities whereas Tata Motors has 1,450 sales outlets.

Multi-power train strategy playing out well for Punch and creating that impact, Tata Motors chief financial officer PB Balaji said in a media conference call last month.

“My heartfelt congratulations to Tata Motors on this significant milestone as the Nexon.ev and Punch.ev receive a 5-star rating, under Bharat-NCAP. The certification aligns with the Indian government's vision for safer vehicles in the country and emphasizes the role of Bharat-NCAP in making India's automobile industry 'aatmanirbhar',” says Nitin Gadkari, minister of Road Transport and Highways.

The Bharat-NCAP car safety standard is pivotal in realising the government’s vision to make India a global automobile hub and increase its export worthiness in international markets, Gadkari says.

Tata Motors is now the only carmaker with the safest range of SUV portfolio scoring 5-stars across Bharat-NCAP and Global-NCAP tests.

Commenting on the 5-star safety ratings, Shailesh Chandra, managing director, Tata Passenger Electric Mobility and Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, says, “Safety, once less discussed, is now a top priority for the Indian car buyer. At Tata Motors, safety is engrained in our DNA, which has made us an industry benchmark. We have continued to be the pioneers in driving the safety conversation – ensuring that our commitment reflects in every vehicle we manufacture, regardless of price point.”

“We welcome stricter government safety standards and are proud to be the first manufacturer to have sent vehicles and lead the Bharat-NCAP protocol with superlative results... Together, all four of our SUVs tested under the Bharat-NCAP have achieved 5-star ratings, setting a benchmark for all passenger vehicles to follow,” says Chandra.

The Punch EV since its launch has seen strong demand from first-time buyers, with over 35% owners from rural markets. Tata has sold over 10,000 units of Punch EV so far. The Nexon EV, which is often credited for kick-starting of India’s EV transition, has sold over 68,000 units since its launch in 2020.