Tata Motors EV capable of 110mi on single charge

General Motors' Volt plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and Toyota's upcoming plug-in version of the Prius are getting a lot of attention for their low-emissions, partial electric-only travel modes. But Tata Motors' EV currently in development in Norway has almost three times the 40mi (64km)electric range of the Volt, and while it's still undergoing testing, the prototypes, based on the company's Indian-market-leading Indica hatchback (pictured) are already built.

High-performance EVs like the Tesla Roadster have similar range to the as-yet unnamed Tata car, but Tata's vehicle will likely be sold for a fraction of the price, since it will eventually be targeted at the Indian market as well as the European. Testing is currently being conducted in Norway, according to Automotive News because the northern European country has committed to the development of infrastructure necessary to support EVs.

The Tata EV is currently an unknown quantity in most respects, but reports of a few months ago indicate that the Indian firm is working on an all-electric vehicle for Chrysler. That EV - a small electric pickup (Ace pickup pictured above) is expected to be priced around $5,000 and would be targeted at North America, sold under the Global Electric Motors (GEM) brand name. The model being developed in Norway is currently capable of 110mi (176km) on a single charge of its 'dual-pack' battery, though the company notes final range will vary depending on the battery pack fitted, indicating there may be a range of options to help keep costs down.

Rival Indian mega-corporation Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) is reportedly working on a four-seat EV of its own, which would presumably be targeted at a market level significantly above the Tata entry. Already primed to begin U.S. distribution of its diesel-powered pickup-trucks despite a delay for quality assurance purposes, M&M's EV would be targeted initially at the Indian market before moving global, in contrast to Tata's model.