Tata Motors is preparing to launch the all-electric version of the Safari, giving the brand a new flagship EV positioned directly against Mahindra’s increasingly popular XEV 9S.
The upcoming Tata Safari EV will become the company’s first fully electric three-row SUV in the premium segment and is expected to arrive during India’s upcoming festive season.
The SUV will ride on Tata’s Acti.ev+ architecture, the same platform underpinning the Harrier EV. Tata is also expected to share multiple components with the internal combustion Safari in order to keep development costs under control and maintain aggressive pricing.
Battery options are expected to include 65 kWh and 75 kWh packs, with both rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations reportedly under consideration. The AWD variant could position the Safari EV as one of the more capable mainstream electric SUVs in the Indian market.
Technology will be a major focus for the new model. The Safari EV is expected to feature Tata’s latest TIDAL software suite with iRA connected-car technology, over-the-air updates, a 540-degree camera system, advanced ADAS functions, vehicle-to-load (V2L) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) charging support, along with a premium JBL audio system.
Visually, the SUV is expected to remain closely related to the standard Safari. However, EV-specific elements will likely include a closed-off front grille, revised bumpers, exclusive badging, aerodynamic wheel designs, and a multi-link rear suspension setup designed to improve ride quality.
Dimensionally, the Safari EV is expected to stay nearly identical to the ICE model:
- Length: 4,668 mm
- Width: 1,922 mm
- Height: 1,795 mm
Pricing is expected to start at around Rs 22 lakh, allowing Tata to position the SUV competitively against Mahindra while still offering a more premium experience than its existing EV lineup.
The launch is strategically important for Tata Motors. Although the company established an early lead in India’s EV market, competition has intensified rapidly, especially in the premium SUV category. The Safari EV gives Tata an opportunity to strengthen its position against Mahindra and expand further into higher-margin electric vehicles.
Rather than developing a completely separate EV model, Tata appears focused on maximizing economies of scale through platform and component sharing — a strategy that could help the Safari EV remain competitively priced while offering more advanced technology and larger dimensions than many existing electric SUVs in the market.