Tata Motors Gearing Up For BS-VI Vehicles

Tata Motors is gearing up for BS-VI – the Rationalization process started.

India’s largest automobile manufacturer Tata Motors is gearing up towards BS-VI emission norms, which is around the corner. Five months down the line by April 2020, the country would have progressed towards BS-VI norms. Tata Motors has started rationalizing its stable with the vehicles which are BS-VI compliant. The company has plans for 400 new programs and 1000 variants, shedding 120-140 models from its portfolio.

The models may not be in a position to get upgraded, or the very basic engine cannot be fit into transforming towards BS-VI norms. This clean-up will ensure higher communalisation, which would be beneficial in many cases, like facilitating lower cost, quicker time to market, and the list goes on.

The new generation modular platform has given rise to this flexibility; however, the cost might not be matched with the BS-IV norms but a little high. Most of the upgrades planned are on the commercial vehicle side, where based on the applications the vehicle goes, different engines, body styles are created basis the customer needs. The upgrade includes the Iris 0.5 tonne van, 55-tonne trucks, large buses, Tiago, and SUV Harrier with powertrain combinations suitable to the passenger and the customer in case of commercial vehicles. The company is planning for 40 different powertrain combinations.

The investment so far, the company made in this regard, is Rs 2500 crore in BS-VI technology according to the sources in the know-how zone. The technology side is moving in a new lane, according to the Chief Technology Officer Rajendra Petkar sourced from Etauto. The statistics given are discontinuing 15-20% product variants and 25-30% engines. The call is taken based on the needs, and the models can no longer be matched with the needs. The company also said that all its engines are BS-VI compliant, and the formal certification must be received. 80% of their engines are type-approved from the certification agencies.