The launch of the electric Harrier brings four-wheel-drive tech back to Tata Motors – last seen in the Safari Storme, which was discontinued over five years ago. Called Quad Wheel Drive (QWD), the system consists of two motors, one on each axle, and Tata expects sales of this version to be significant.
Tata expects higher percentage of 4x4 sales with EVs
Speaking to Autocar India at the Harrier EV launch, Vivek Srivatsa, chief commercial officer of Tata Motors’ passenger electric division, said, “Yes, certainly, we will see a larger (than ICE 4x4) percentage of four-wheel-drive versions sold. Typically, ICE 4x4s account for low-single-digit percentages, but with the Harrier EV, we would expect to see 20 percent sales from the QWD version.”
That is a significant jump over the typical volumes of a 4x4 ICE midsize SUV, but Srivatsa attributes this to Tata’s QWD system’s capabilities, saying, “The Harrier QWD package unleashes far more than a traditional system unleashes, from things like the system torque to the response time of the motors.”
Indeed, electric 4x4 systems have several advantages over mechanical ICE systems, with instant and precise torque delivery and significantly faster response times.
QWD branding to be used for future AWD Tata SUVs
In terms of the branding, Srivatsa also confirmed that QWD would be the brand name for Tata Motors’ all-wheel drive but added, “We could layer it slightly differently for different products.” If that were to be the case, it would be similar to how Suzuki has various layers in its AllGrip AWD branding: AllGrip Auto, Select and Pro.
While Jeep positions its four-wheel-drive tech specifically towards off-road and Audi more towards a road bias, Tata Motors isn’t choosing one over the other. “With QWD, you [not only] unleash off-road capability but also on-road acceleration and handling,” said Srivatsa. “The Indian consumer wants everything, and this car does everything, so it’s both worlds that we will address.”
Whether or not people gravitate towards the four-wheel-drive version of the electric Harrier remains to be seen, and a lot will depend on the pricing. For now, Tata Motors has only released the price of the base 65kWh battery version, whereas the QWD version will come equipped with a larger 75kWh battery.