New Electric SUV Spied, Is It The Upcoming Tata Avinya? You Will Be Surprised!

Back at the Auto Expo 2022, Tata Motors made a big announcement, showcasing its new brand called the Avinya. This premium sub-brand will be positioned between Tata Motors and Jaguar-Land Rover. Avinya’s first product, the Avinya X is expected to be ready anytime soon.

Recently, pictures of a strange new SUV being tested on Indian roads has surfaced online and is found out to be the Exceed Sterra ET. Digging into the rabbit hole, we believe it could be Tata testing the platform for it’s future Avinya products. But what’s the connection? Let’s discuss.

So, Is It Not The Avinya X? Sadly, NO!

The test mule being spied is the Exceed Sterra ET or the Exceed Exlantix ET Reev, which is sold in the Chinese market. The Sterra ET is based on a Chery platform which also underpins JLR’s new Freelander 8. Avinya will also be borrowing the same platform on which the Avinya X will be based on. And so, since the Exceed is related to the upcoming Avinya X under the skin, we believe that the test mule could be the process of localisation of the Chery-JLR Freelander platform. 

Development of the Esterra ET is important since the platform is being shared with future Tata products, it needs to be localised and modified to suit the Indian conditions. And so, this will help the new Avinya products to be better suited for the Indian roads.

It is also possible that Tata could be testing the Avinya X using the shell of the Sterra ET.

What To Expect?

Avinya had showcased an early concept of the Avinya X last year at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025, and we expect the product to be ready and unveiled by early next year. However, we also expect the announcement and debut of the Avinya brand to take place by the end of this year.

Since the Chery-JLR platform supports multiple drivetrains, we believe Avinya will also come with an electric powertrain first and a full-hybrid powertrain at a later point in time.

While we don’t have the battery pack figures yet, we expect it to be related to the Freelander 8. This will include an 800 V architecture-based powertrain powered by a large battery pack of around 80-90 kWh.

Price-wise, the Avinya X is likely to go against the Skoda Kodiaq and the Volkswagen Tayron. While the Avinya X does not have a direct competitor in the EV space as of today, we expect new models to be introduced in the Rs 35-45 lakh segment in the next two years, from brands like MG, BYD, and the upcoming joint ventures of JSW.

CarDekho Says…

The process of development testing of new cars can come in the form of any car under any disguise. In this case, since the platform is the talking point, it is most likely Tata testing their new premium SUV. This process will also help to develop new products from the jointly developed platform. We expect a sedan to follow the Avinya X SUV; however, it is yet to be confirmed how far away it is.

All said and done, the introduction of the Avinya brand will be an aspirational leap for Tata Motors since it is going beyond the existing lineup of Tata cars. The price bracket of Rs 35-45 lakh is growing with new models, with growing competition coming from Korean and Chinese brands. And with growing demand for premium EVs, this will be a good opportunity for Tata to grab the attention of people looking to upgrade into the aspirational segment of cars.