Exclusive: Tata Motors' First Avinya Model to be based on CJLR's Freelander

Tata Motors has overhauled the technology strategy for its Avinya premium electric vehicle programme, replacing the previously planned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Electrified Modular Architecture (EMA) with the Freelander platform produced by Chery-JLR (CJLR), according to people aware of the development. Tata Motors, through JLR, owns 50% of CJLR.

In an emailed response, the company confirmed that the first Avinya vehicle will be based on a CJLR model.

"The first Avinya vehicle to be launched in India in 2027 will leverage the Freelander platform produced by CJLR and will be made at the recently opened, state of the art TMPV - JLR manufacturing facility in Panapakkam, Tamil Nadu. It brings together holistic new age advancements and robust engineering foundations to deliver a compelling luxury EV experience for Avinya," the company said.

The move is expected to help Tata Motors shorten development timelines, improve cost competitiveness and bring its premium EV plans to market faster. People familiar with the programme said the economics of adapting EMA for the intended positioning and volumes of Avinya had become difficult to justify.

Sources said the first production model under the revised roadmap will be the Avinya X, internally known as the P2 programme. Engineering prototypes are expected later this year, with a market launch targeted for 2027.

Tata Motors said it would draw on JLR and 'its partners' to deliver the best product possible.

"Avinya is being developed as a global premium brand for a next-generation EV portfolio to be built on multiple, scalable platforms and architectures while being anchored in Tata Motors’ design, engineering and integration capabilities. Our collaboration with JLR and its partners will be an important pillar of our global premium EV journey as we expand the Avinya portfolio across segments and geographies. This integrated approach draws on best-in-class Tata Motors PV Group ecosystem expertise and partnerships for delivering the desired proposition for the luxury EV segment at scale," the spokesperson said.

The first Avinya models are expected to be positioned in the ₹35 lakh-₹40 lakh range, creating a clear step above Tata Motors' existing EV portfolio. More broadly, the programme reflects Tata Motors' attempt to combine JLR engineering, China's EV development ecosystem and India's manufacturing economics into a viable premium electric vehicle business.

The shift to  CJLR platform also changes the original product sequence, with the earlier P1 programme now being understood to have taken a back seat as Tata Motors focuses on bringing Avinya X to production.

While the underlying mechanical architecture will come from the CJLR ecosystem, Tata Motors is reworking key parts of the electronics, software and vehicle systems for Indian market requirements, sources said.

Tata Technologies' engineering teams in China are understood to be involved in adapting the architecture alongside teams in India and the UK.

The decision comes as global automakers increasingly tap into China's electric vehicle ecosystem, which today leads the industry in batteries, software integration, supply-chain scale and development speed.

For Tata Motors, access to the CJLR platform provides a proven EV architecture while allowing the company to focus resources on localisation, software, connectivity and customer experience.

Battery strategy is also evolving. Industry sources indicated that the first Avinya models are likely to feature battery packs in the 65-80 kWh range, balancing range, weight and affordability.

While Tata Group's battery venture Agratas remains central to the company's long-term plans, initial vehicles could rely on existing battery ecosystem partners before Agratas reaches scale. Industry executives said battery sourcing, pack integration and localisation strategies continue to be refined as the programme progresses.

Meanwhile, the Avinya programme continues to be a visible outcome of closer collaboration between Tata Motors and JLR.

Over the past two years, the two companies have expanded cooperation across engineering, sourcing, electrification and software development. Industry executives believe the recent movement of Balaje Rajan to a larger role in the UK, first reported by Autocar Professional, is part of a broader effort to improve alignment across future vehicle programmes and technology initiatives.

Beyond Avinya X, Tata Motors is evaluating a larger three-row premium electric SUV as part of the Avinya family. The vehicle is expected to follow the first model and help establish Avinya as a standalone premium EV brand rather than a single-product programme.

Manufacturing plans are also taking shape.

Industry sources said the Chennai-Ranipet ecosystem is expected to play a key role in production. The assembly facility, already operational with a capacity of around 30,000 units a year, is likely to support initial manufacturing activities before localisation increases.

The facility could eventually assume greater significance.

Sources indicated that JLR is also expected to leverage the broader architecture family for future global products, creating opportunities for shared sourcing, manufacturing and supplier investments between the two businesses.

Industry executives also pointed to another potential advantage. Chery is expected to supply architectures to multiple partners globally, including its proposed ventures in India. If products based on the same architecture family are eventually adopted by other manufacturers, including JSW MG Motor for future programmes, it could help create greater component commonality, improve supplier economics and accelerate localisation of key aggregates and systems in India.

"The more scale you can generate around a common architecture, the stronger the localisation case becomes," said an industry executive familiar with the discussions

Tata Motors did not respond to queries sent by Autocar Professional till the time of publication.