Home » Here’s What A $20,000 EV With 200+ Miles Of Range Looks Like

Here’s What A $20,000 EV With 200+ Miles Of Range Looks Like

Tata Curvv Top
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At this moment, the cheapest electric car in America is the Nissan Leaf, starting at $28,140. The average price for an EV in America is over $56,000. Point is, they’re not cheap. And yet, somehow, in India, they can make shockingly modern and refined electric SUVs that start at about $20,000 (that’s ₹17,49,000 in rupees). Tata, the company that once made the Cheapest Car in the World, has shown a new battery-electric SUV “coupé” (they just mean it has a sloping rear; like every other carmaker who talks about four-door SUV coupés, they have no idea what that word actually means) called the Curvv.ev. It seems pretty impressive, especially for the money, so let’s take a quick look!

The Tata Curvv.ev (that seems to just be pronounced like “curve” with the two Vs just working together, like they do in savvy) has battery pack sizes of 45 and 55 kWh, giving about 205 to 218 miles of range for the smaller pack, and about 250 to 264 miles of range for the larger one. The cheapest one has a 150 hp electric motor, and the up-market variants have a 165 hp motor. The Curvv will also have gasoline and diesel variants (it’s all on the same Tata ATLAS platform, anyway), with a turbocharged 1.2-liter three making about 125 hp and a 1.5-liter diesel making 118 hp. Being India, you can get these variants with a six-speed manual! Oh, or a seven-gear dual-clutch auto.

Vidframe Min Top
Vidframe Min Bottom

Want to see the launch event? No? Too bad!

The look of the Curvv I think is quite nice, and while I know they’re making a big deal out of the raked rear, I don’t really get what the big deal is.

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Curvv1

It stands quite tall on its wheels, and with that raked rear it sort of feels like an AMC Eagle SX/4 or a Polestar 2 or cars like that, where its like a hatchback or small sedan is plopped onto a Jeep-proportioned chassis.

You can get some good overall looks at the Curvv.ev in this Tata promotional video:

Keep in mind what the front looked like while you look at this next image:

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Curvv Ice

The combustion-engined variants are distinguished by the presence of an actual radiator grille, but otherwise the body looks pretty much the same.

Modern details, like animated LED lighting, still manage to make an appearance on the Curvv.ev, despite its comparatively bargain price:

I’m all for the democratization of fun animated lighting!

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You know what else the Curvv.ev has that some other, significantly more expensive EVs lack? A Frunk!

Trunks

It’s not huge, but as with all EV frunks, I respect when companies make an effort to give you access to these usable volumes of space. It’s a matter of principle.

The Curvv.ev promotional materials also make mention of this:

Phygital

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I suppose that’s some sort of hybrid physical and digital controls? I’ve not seen these “phygital” controls in action, so I can’t weigh in with a real opinion, but I am very curious.

Overall, I’m impressed by what I’m seeing here, especially for the price. India is consistently a source of interesting automotive developments, especially in the way they manage to make good machines at low prices. I know China tends to get all the attention lately, but don’t sleep on India!

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Scott
Scott
1 month ago

I’d willingly overlook odd proportions or excessive detailing IF a 200-mile-range EV that passes US crash regs actually sold here for $20K.

Freelivin2713
Freelivin2713
1 month ago

I’d much rather have the AMC Eagle SX/4

MaximillianMeen
MaximillianMeen
1 month ago
Reply to  Freelivin2713

At least AMC knew the meaning of the word “coupe”.

Ben
Ben
1 month ago

Phygital

Nope.

Manwich Sandwich
Manwich Sandwich
1 month ago

For 20 grand, I could see this selling well. The only questions remain is how fast does it charge, how does it do in the crash test and how good is the long term durability?

Anoos
Anoos
1 month ago

That’s really not a frunk. It looks about the size of the Ioniq 5’s, which is not usable in any real way.

SCOTT GREEN
SCOTT GREEN
1 month ago

Not a fan of that grill, but it’s nice that they gave it some actual ground clearance.

M0L0TOV
M0L0TOV
1 month ago

For a minute, I thought this was a rebadge of the Renault Arkana.

Rusty S Trusty
Rusty S Trusty
1 month ago

Is it just unnecessarily tall or does it need to be that tall for roads in India? All of that excessive tallness isn’t really doing it any favors.

MY LEG!
MY LEG!
1 month ago
Reply to  Rusty S Trusty

I thought it was just me not getting the crossover aesthetic. “Look Ma, tall shocks!”

Joshua Christian
Joshua Christian
1 month ago
Reply to  Rusty S Trusty

Cars made for the Indian market often ride higher than their western variants, and they are often even on slightly different platforms. The Nissan Kicks’ Indian Variant rode just over an inch higher than its US equivalent.

Jesus Chrysler drives a Dodge
Jesus Chrysler drives a Dodge
1 month ago

I wonder whether Tata’s ad agency realized that Buy My Volvo was a parody before they based this car’s promotional video on it.

https://youtu.be/JJ0nkStZnWo

Adrian Clarke
Adrian Clarke
1 month ago

Curve. Now there was a band.

Last edited 1 month ago by Adrian Clarke
No Kids, Just Bikes
No Kids, Just Bikes
1 month ago
Reply to  Adrian Clarke

I was unfamiliar, but I am digging them so far.

i3 Driving Indicator Fetishist
i3 Driving Indicator Fetishist
1 month ago
Reply to  Adrian Clarke

Horror Head!

Grey alien in a beige sedan
Grey alien in a beige sedan
1 month ago

Need to get me one of them phygit spinners.

Amschroeder5
Amschroeder5
1 month ago

It should be obvious that that vehicle is not remotely aero optimized, and will not achieve even 150 (maybe not even 100) miles at hwy speeds.

Now does it need to? No not really, but I trust chinese range ratings a hell of a lot more than this.

Crimedog
Crimedog
1 month ago
Reply to  Amschroeder5

I don’t think there is a whole lot of ‘interstate driving’ in India. Most of my colleagues just walk places, and they are middle class. I can see this as part of the regenerative value for miles.

I also agree that there is no case for believing something that seems to be untested and that it would flop in the US.

Amschroeder5
Amschroeder5
1 month ago
Reply to  Crimedog

Oh absolutely, I just mean no one should take this as equivalent even to the generous WLTP or chinese systems. Let alone epa/US.

Martin Ibert
Martin Ibert
1 month ago

Many people don’t know what a “coupé” actually, but US Americans beat this by not even know how the word is pronounced.

Amschroeder5
Amschroeder5
1 month ago
Reply to  Martin Ibert

I’m a stickler here, but anytime a vehicle uses it without the accent aigu, we shouldn’t be pronouncing it. And if manufacturers want to be morons and put the Americanized accent-less spelling in their official markings, that’s their own fault.

Bill
Bill
1 month ago

I put my disical in her phygital

NosrednaNod
NosrednaNod
1 month ago

What does a $20,000 new non-EV look like these days?

Last edited 1 month ago by NosrednaNod
McLovin
McLovin
1 month ago
Reply to  NosrednaNod

Based on Indian pricing, a Kia Seltos.

AlterId
AlterId
1 month ago

…while I know they’re making a big deal out of the raked rear, I don’t really get what the big deal is.

Oooohh… you really don’t know about how the raked fastback vehicle roofline is a symbol of Indian resistance to the atrocities committed by the colonizing British when they were busy stealing everything that wasn’t nailed down and, given that Mughal-era India had a large iron and steel industry that produced some of the highest-quality goods in the world in the 1500s and 1600s, probably quite a number of things that were?

Captain Muppet
Captain Muppet
1 month ago
Reply to  AlterId

I’m British, so I already woke up today feeling ashamed. Your post has added to that, and justly so.

If it’s any consolation, and I doubt it will be, we squandered all that stolen wealth so that we could become mediocre and irrelevant.

My apologies to all former colonies, but especially the ones we utterly ruined, then left on fire or full of our unwanted convicts.

So sorry.

We’re keeping all the stuff in our museums BTW, it’s ours now.

Sorry everyone.

We gave you cricket, that’s a fair trade.

Sorry.

Thanks for the tea.

Sorry again.

You can keep our Royals as your head of state if you like? They are expensive and ineffective, but there’s that one who thought he couldn’t sweat but actually just couldn’t feel shame instead, what a glorious symbol of the corruption that comes with power.

Sorry everyone.

Sorry.

Bye.

Phuzz
Phuzz
1 month ago
Reply to  Captain Muppet

I feel like Tata owning Jaguar now is a certain amount of payback

MY LEG!
MY LEG!
1 month ago
Reply to  AlterId

I realize you’re making a joke, but this “wound collector nationalism”, where Indians and Chinese whine about Western Imperialism while doing the same thing to other groups (sometimes to other peoples who got fucked by the colonial masters harder) is infuriating.

It’d be slightly less embarassing if they were honest about it and screeched: “I LEARNED IT BY WATCHING YOUUUU” instead.

Bassracerx
Bassracerx
1 month ago

this is rad.

Mechjaz
Mechjaz
1 month ago

I don’t understand the woman for scale. Can we get this thing next to a brontosaurus so I can get an idea what I’m looking at here?

Last edited 1 month ago by Mechjaz
Hugh Crawford
Hugh Crawford
1 month ago
Reply to  Mechjaz

Maybe if she were holding a banana?

Totally not a robot
Totally not a robot
1 month ago
Reply to  Mechjaz

Anything but the metric system.

Freelivin2713
Freelivin2713
1 month ago
Reply to  Mechjaz

Well, obviously it’s because she’s very Curvv.ee

MustangIIMatt
MustangIIMatt
1 month ago

It looks like a BMW X4.

Maryland J
Maryland J
1 month ago

That is some terrible photoshopping. I doubt your average Indian is that small.

Would be more interested to see what the heck this thing looks like in the real world, complete with normal people for scale.

Also, I don’t understand the design theme of seemingly every EV with the long grille light bar.

Urban Runabout
Urban Runabout
1 month ago
Reply to  Maryland J

Also, I don’t understand the design theme of seemingly every EV with the long grille light bar.”

Think “Mercury Sable” evolved.

AlterId
AlterId
1 month ago
Reply to  Urban Runabout

The first-gen Mercury Sable is now the Kevin Bacon of post-energy-crisis automotive design.

Canopysaurus
Canopysaurus
1 month ago

Is the ‘h’ silent in phygital? Or is it pronounced like fidget(al)?

Last edited 1 month ago by Canopysaurus
Thomas The Tank Engine
Thomas The Tank Engine
1 month ago
Reply to  Canopysaurus

Is it a portmanteau of Physical and Digital?

Canopysaurus
Canopysaurus
1 month ago

That would be my guess.

Mall Explorer
Mall Explorer
1 month ago
Reply to  Canopysaurus

I was just about to say those controls are great for phygiting in traffic.

J Hyman
J Hyman
1 month ago
Reply to  Canopysaurus

“Let’s get Phygital” – ONJ (RIP)

Thevenin
Thevenin
1 month ago

I gotta be pedantic about the misleading title. It’s only >200 miles and $20k for a generous definition of miles and a generous definition of dollars.

The 200 mile rating is on the Modified Indian Driving Cycle. On the EPA cycle, this would almost certainly end up being 140-150 miles.

17.49 lakh rupees converts to $20,830 USD.

Okay, done being a pedant now. It looks like a good car that will go over very well in India. I like that they specify its wading depth in the literature.

PresterJohn
PresterJohn
1 month ago
Reply to  Thevenin

I was going to ask what cycle that was on – thanks! Yeah if the range starts with a 1 and there’s not a range extender it’s a no go here

Urban Runabout
Urban Runabout
1 month ago

“Hi there – I tapped a parking bollard and need a replacement grille for my Curveee.”

“Certainly! Would that be the upper grille, the lower grille, the EV lower grille, the middle grille, the left grille or the right grille, or the left rear grille, or the right rear grille?”

“Um – Oh, Nevermind”

“No worries – None are in stock anyway!”

Last edited 1 month ago by Urban Runabout
Lockleaf
Lockleaf
1 month ago
Reply to  Urban Runabout

Having spent years working in auto parts, I believe the first question would be “Is that automatic or manual?”

Ecsta C3PO
Ecsta C3PO
1 month ago

I don’t like term “phygital”. It reminds me of phalanges / vestigial, like a medical term for extra fingers

Urban Runabout
Urban Runabout
1 month ago
Reply to  Ecsta C3PO

Sounds like something a nervous/impatient kid would have in their hands at the dinner table, annoying their little sister with, when we’re all supposed to be enjoying a quiet meal.

Ecsta C3PO
Ecsta C3PO
1 month ago
Reply to  Urban Runabout

I can already picture the kickstarter video for PHYGTL, only $50 for the founders package with limited edition colorway and exclusive art book.

Urban Runabout
Urban Runabout
1 month ago
Reply to  Ecsta C3PO

“It’s just what I wanted! Thanks Uncle Phil!!”

*through clenched teeth* “Yeaaaah, Thaaaanks Uncle Phil… (GRRRRRR)”

CSRoad
CSRoad
1 month ago
Reply to  Ecsta C3PO

They’ve got a song picked out already, “Let’s get PHYGTL, PHYGTL”.

Widgetsltd
Widgetsltd
1 month ago
Reply to  Urban Runabout

“Young man, put down that phygital and eat your dinner!”

GoesLikeHell
GoesLikeHell
1 month ago

After a trip to Bangalore earlier this year I think that any EV in India should also advertise how many beeps of the horn it has per charge, surely that will cut into the range.

Ecsta C3PO
Ecsta C3PO
1 month ago
Reply to  GoesLikeHell

Turn your horn from Eco to Sport mode for more power at the expense of range

SNL-LOL Jr
SNL-LOL Jr
1 month ago
Reply to  GoesLikeHell

If this isn’t a veiled dig at DT’s unwanted Leaf, it should be.

Freelivin2713
Freelivin2713
1 month ago
Reply to  GoesLikeHell

I’m sure they have/make plenty of horn fluid there

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