Tata Punch EV Long Term Report

Tata’s most affordable electric SUV might just be our favourite!

To quote a cliche, good things come in small packages. Tata’s Punch EV is exactly that. A good thing, wrapped in a very city-friendly package. We’ve always maintained that the electric version of the Punch is the best version of the small SUV to exist, and spending a few weeks with it has reinforced this belief. 

In a pleasant surprise, our test car was the same car that was sent to us nearly a year ago. The same car we did our range test with, where the Punch EV covered ~260km on a full charge. While the vehicle was brand new back then, it was a seasoned ‘media car’ now, having borne the brunt of multiple fast and erratic charge cycles. 

Naturally, the first test was to see whether that has affected the possible range in any manner. We drove across the length and breadth of Mumbai multiple times over, and almost always averaged anywhere between 250-270km on a full charge. If Mumbai traffic wasn’t as chaotic and ambient temperatures were lower, I’ve got enough reason to believe that the Punch EV will clock 300km quite easily. In fact, a colleague who owns a Punch EV in Jaipur (where the traffic is slightly sparser), reports a real world range of 280-300km. 

Being subjected to ‘journalists’ hasn’t really bothered the Punch EV then. Good start. 

For now, I’m appreciating the tiny footprint of the Punch EV more than anything. It seems like the perfect size to zip around the city, and I find myself reaching for its keys for practically anything. It’s mostly doing gym and school runs, followed by the odd coffee drive for now and is managing to be easy to drive, and really comfortable. 

Problems? For starters, the washer fluid reservoir has to be repositioned. It is a bit of pain to pour water into. With rains lashing around us, this was made amply evident. 

Second, the charge flap needs to be shut in a super specific manner. If you don’t, the lid might appear shut, but you constantly get a warning on the instrument cluster. 

Third, faster fast charging please. This Tata Motors seems to have already addressed, thankfully. Newer Punch EVs are capable of charging from 10-80% in 40 minutes instead of 56 minutes via a 50kW DC fast charger. 

Next up, the ever-essential Mumbai-Pune-Mumbai test. 

Positives: Compact size, comfortable ride

Negatives: White upholstery gets dirty, charging flap requires multiple attempts to close

Date When Received: 14/06/25

Kilometres When Received: 8600 km

Kilometres Till Date: 9423 km