Tata Punch EV Long Term Review: Final Report

Tata Punch EV Long Term Review Final Report

Introduction

The last report of the Tata Punch EV from our long-term fleet focused on the city runabouts. We detailed the good and the not-so-good things about it. This time, we shall similarly delve into things, but take it beyond the city limits to assess its highway performance.

What's good?

Comfort and Entertainment Needs

The Punch, despite having the looks of an SUV and being an EV with batteries in the floor pan, the floor inside isn't too high. Getting in and out is a breeze and four people can sit comfortably inside. An additional passenger can be accommodated in the second row but with some shoulder overlap. There's no floor hump, so no additional intrusion in the limited leg space.

The light interior enhances the cabin’s ambience and the sunroof brings in more light inside. It will always be a joy to see the surroundings outside on a trip. When parked, the central display doubles up as your movie screen playing through Amazon Prime and many more options. This high-definition screen also supports USB playback and games, adding to your infotainment needs apart from seamless music and smartphone-based navigation.

Storage Space

All new Tata vehicles are known for their interior space, and the Punch EV is no exception. Each door features large bottle holders along with space for sunglass cases, umbrellas, and more.

The centre console has additional stowage place in front, cup holders in between, and internal storage under the armrest. It misses AC vents and a USB port in the second row, but still has a slot to keep your phone below or inside the seat-back pockets. Besides, we've spoken about the 366-litre boot space earlier, and it can carry luggage for four with a variation of three/four soft bags with two medium-sized hard cases.

Strong Performance

The Punch EV may be a small car, but if anyone associates small with feeble, this electric car quickly proves them wrong with its power-packed performance. This 35kWh version packs 121bhp and 190Nm of torque, more than the 25kWh version, which offers 80bhp and 114Nm. Thanks to its compact size, the Punch EV is a thrill to drive, delivering instantaneous acceleration and sharp throttle response.

Even when fully loaded, it doesn’t feel bogged down like its ICE counterpart, especially on inclines, regardless of the driving mode. Moreover, overtaking long trailers on a single-carriage highway was effortless, and at triple-digit speeds it remained planted, never feeling strained or out of breath.

DC Charging

Whether using a 7.4kW charger or higher, quick top-ups on the go due to fast charging support make the Punch EV highly practical. We tested it on our 7.4kW AC charger, and it took 7.5 hours to charge from 0-100 per cent, six hours from 35-100 per cent, and two hours from 65-100 per cent. Needless to say, with 35kWh and higher capacity chargers, the battery can be fully charged within an hour. This turns out to be very practical as you can top up good amount of charge on a long trip while enjoying breakfast or finishing your last sip of coffee.

What's not good?

Range Anxiety

On average, our Punch EV offered 250km on a single full charge (from 100-0 per cent) of the battery, a scenario most users would avoid. In real-world conditions, a usable range of 210-230km before needing to find a charger isn't confidence-inspiring for intercity drives. Despite the car offering DC charging support, the continuous lookout for chargers out on the highway is an underwhelming process. Our EV infrastructure is bleak, expensive, and always uncertain if working. So unless one charts out a proper plan with working charging points at places on a long trip, range anxiety will always be there while driving the Punch EV.

No Dedicated Rear Vents

Though cooling is good, it needs to be dispersed well, and here the lack of rear AC vents makes a difference. While the front occupants get cooled quickly, it takes time for the rear occupants to find comfort in a hot and humid climate like ours. Additionally, as seen in the image, the front vents have stopped functioning, raising concerns about long-term reliability.

Bugs and Issues

Unfortunately, our Punch had to be sent to the service centre, not just once but twice. Thankfully, Tata Motors had the courtesy of providing a temporary service replacement car in the meantime. Our unit faced multiple software and system glitches, including failure to connect to the ZConnect/iRA app, infotainment system failed to load once, and random warning signs appearing on the instrument cluster, such as the handbrake sign appeared twice, traction control sign, and other unknown signs while driving. Even the service Punch popped up an auto-hold error and had to be towed to the workshop. Surprisingly, these were not justified, but just errors that didn't repeat. For the last month that we had the car with us, the drive was thankfully hassle-free.

What's next?

Well, that's about the time we had the Punch with us. It won't be missed for the long drives, but surely will be remembered for the sprightly city runabouts. Its compact footprint made it fit nicely in traffic like blocks in Tetris. And more so, for the comfortable yet quick sprints.