With the Bagmati state government having issued the criteria for electric taxis, EV brands will be thinking about presenting candidates that can do the job. Among the models available, a promising one should be Tata’s Xpres-T EV, which has been widely adopted as taxis in India.

The XPRES-T EV is Tata’s first electric model from the XPRES-series that was launched with the sole purpose of being used in commercial contexts. The sedan looks like a taxi-version of the Tigor EV. 

The EV was introduced in India in July 2021 with two battery options–a 16.5 kWh and a 21.5 kWh–which provide a range of 165 km and 213 km, respectively. The one equipped with the lower battery capacity doesn’t meet the range requirement, but the EV powered by the 21.5 kWh battery would be a suitable candidate for an electric taxi.

Get to know more about the EV:

Body type and design

The XPRES-T is 3993 mm long, 1677 mm wide, and 1537 mm long (approximately 500 mm longer, 100 mm wider, and 50 mm shorter than conventional ICE-powered hatchback taxi models). Despite being a sedan, the vehicle’s ground clearance is 176 mm.

Inside, the EV gets a five-seat arrangement, providing 255 litres for boot space. The seats are fabric-upholstered and the front seats feature adjustable headrests. The dashboard features a 2.5 -inch segmented driver information system that displays a digital clock, gear-shift indicator, trip meter (2 of them), trip-average fuel efficiency indicator, distance to empty indicator, and door-open and key-in reminder.

Battery and performance

The XPRES-T is powered by a 21.5kWh battery–paired with a 3-phase AC induction motor–which generates 40 bhp of power and a torque of 105 Nm. It can speed up to 80 kmph.

The EV can be charged fully in approximately 12 hours via a normal charger, and via a 15kW fast charger, the vehicle can be charged from 0-80% in 1 hour 50 minutes. On a full charge, the EV provides a range of 213km.

Specifications

Features

In terms of the EV’s convenience and safety features, the XPRES-T exceeds the criteria set by the Bagmati Province government.

The EV comes with convenience features such as fully automatic temperature control, remote entry, multi-drive mode (Eco and Sport), integrated stereo by HARMAN, segmented 2.5-inch instrument cluster, power-assisted steering wheel (with tilt adjustment), power windows, adjustable front head rests, and power outlet.

For safety, the XPRES-T comes with dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensor, seat belt with pretensioners & load limiters, automatic door lock, collapsible steering column, and side intrusion beams. 

Tata XPRES-T price in Nepal

In India, the XPRES-T EV comes in two variants–the XM+ and the XT+–at a starting price of Rs INR 9.45 lakh, and it goes up to INR 10.64 lakh. The EV will be Tata’s third EV offering in Nepal (second in the sedan segment); and as it will be solely targeted for commercial use, fans in Nepal can expect it to cost less than the Tigor EV, somewhere between Rs 22 to Rs 25 lakh.