Tata Punch EV

The 2025/26 facelift Punch EV moved to a 30 kWh and 40 kWh LFP pack lineup, replacing the older 25/35 kWh cells, and the range gain is real: ARAI/MIDC-certified 375 km on the base 30 kWh pack and 468 km on the 40 kWh pack, both meaningfully up from the outgoing 315/421 km figures. DC fast charging (65 kW) takes the battery from 20-80% in about 26 minutes on either pack, which is quick for this price band, though a full AC top-up on a 15A socket still runs 12-15 hours depending on pack size, so a home wallbox is worth budgeting for if you charge overnight regularly.

Where the Punch EV earns its 'best value EV SUV under 15 lakh' reputation from reviewers is the combination of a sub-10-lakh starting price (Smart 30, ex-showroom) with a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating and 6 airbags as standard across the entire range, not just top trims. That's a genuinely strong safety floor for the segment. The trade-off is performance: 87 bhp / 154 Nm on the 30 kWh motor makes the base cars feel adequate but unhurried (13.5s 0-100 km/h), while the 40 kWh cars step up to 127 bhp and a noticeably brisker 9.0s, better suited to those who do highway stretches, not just city commuting.

Equipment-wise the trim ladder is well judged for a compact SUV: Smart Plus onward gets an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto/CarPlay, Adventure 40 adds cruise control and hill-hold, and the range-topping Empowered/Empowered+ S trims bring a 10.25-inch display, digital instrument cluster, 360-degree camera and (on the very top trim) a sunroof and ventilated seats. Dimensionally it's unchanged from the outgoing car (3880 mm length, 2445 mm wheelbase, 366-litre boot), so cabin space and practicality carry over rather than improve, and the FWD-only, single-speed layout keeps things simple and easy to live with as a daily city car.