Tata Motors will unveil a hybrid-electric version of its Tata Manza at the Auto Expo 2012 show in New Delhi next week, as the India-based automaker continues to hint at including electric-drive vehicles in its fleet.
The Tata Manza Hybrid concept car will include lithium-ion batteries, according to Rushlane.com. Little else has been revealed about the performance, price or potential debut date of the Manza Hybrid, but other advanced-powertrain vehicles to be unveiled at the show include the Mahindra Verito Electric.
Tata, which in 2008 acquired Jaguar Land Rover from Ford for $2.3 billion, continues to show signs of moving into electric-drive powertrains to boost its fleetwide fuel efficiency. The company had planned to start selling its Tata Vista Indica electric vehicle in India last year, though that model has yet to debut there. Tata says the 74-horsepower Vista Indica EV has a single-charge range of about 100 miles and a top speed of 71 miles per hour.
Tata started selling gas and diesel versions of its Manza series last February, with prices starting at about $10,000. Tata said last June that one Manza owner was able to get fuel economy of 46.33 km per liter (about 109 miles per gallon) out of his diesel-powered Manza. Additionally, Tata last March debuted its Tata Indica eV2. That diesel-powered compact achieved fuel economy of about 59 miles per gallon, making it India’s most fuel-efficient production car certified by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI).
