Tata Motors has ramped up its design ambitions with the reveal of its electric SUV concept called Curvv. Conceptualized to offer “practicality and elegance, all whilst exuding dynamism and unmatched road presence,” the company says that it will introduce India to a unique, edgy, and sporty coupe body style normally only seen in the high-end luxury segment.

The company says that a production version will hit the market within the next two years. The SUV will enter the market as an extension of the company’s growing electric vehicle (EV) portfolio then followed by its internal combustion engine (ICE) counterpart.

“From record sales to upping our market share game, the last fiscal has been nothing but magical for us,” said Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd., and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd., at the vehicle’s launch event. “We not only emerged as the No. 1 SUV player with our array of products in our portfolio, but we also continued to supercharge our growth in the EV space with our highest ever annual EV sales going up by 353% vs FY21.”

Like in the rest of the world, SUVs have taken the Indian market by storm. Tata has been pushing hard into the segment.

With the Curvv, Tata is building on the “SUV lifestyle in India” that it pioneered with vehicles like the Sierra and Safari. After it was launched in 2017 and updated in 2020, the company’s Nexon compact SUV quickly established itself as India’s number one selling SUV. Since the October 2021 launch of India’s “first subcompact SUV,” the Punch has catapulted Tata to become the number one SUV brand, according to Chandra. The company also offers higher-end Harrier and Safari SUVs built on an advanced architecture supplied by Tata’s Jaguar Land Rover luxury arm.

With Curvv, the company decided to tackle both SUV and EV segments. It hopes that the new design direction, combining SUV DNA at its core with “new age” materials, features, and interfaces, will redefine mainstream Indian SUV design. It will also introduce the company’s Generation 2 EV architecture.

“With this new architecture, we will strengthen the key pillars of range, performance, and technology, while retaining safety and reliability as hygiene offerings,” added Chandra.

 

Building on Ziptron

The Curvv is designed to fit the fast-paced life of urban dwellers who appreciate and expect shorter charge time, interactive and intuitive interfaces, quicker response, and more comfort from their cars. Its Generation 2 EV architecture is being engineered to be more advanced, flexible, and capable of offering multi-powertrain options.

Products on the new architecture will be designed to deliver a higher range while retaining the credibility and reliability standards set by the Generation 1 products powered by Ziptron. Tata Motors’ EV technology platform was introduced in 2019 encompassing battery, motor, and power electronics with a heavy emphasis on cooling.

Built on over 1 million kilometers of testing, the battery comes with an 8-year warranty. Its lithium-ion battery chemistry is compatible with upcoming Indian fast-charging networks. Liquid cooling enables peak charging and consistent performance over a wide range of operating temperatures.

The platform’s permanent magnet synchronous motor is said to be highly efficient with enduring peak performance thanks to a dedicated cooling circuit.

An integrated motor controller saves weight and increases efficiency. The water-cooled power electronics architecture is engineered for consistent performance, long-lasting durability, and efficient operations over a wide spectrum of operating temperatures.

 

Updated design philosophy

With the design philosophy of “less is more,” the concept is meant to be a progressive and modern SUV that represents “simplicity in complexity.”

“This is an SUV with a sporty stance,” said Martin Uhlarik, Head of Global Design, Tata Motors. “We’ve kept the overall standard wide wheel arches, large cladding, and the command driving position and we combined it with a sleek and efficient and very emotional silhouette augmented by this very sleek arch, which creates an SUV sporty character.”

That is married with an overall design language called Digital, with clean surfaces and crisp lines.

There is a strong aerodynamic theme to the SUV’s design. The “floating bonnet” allows airflow to channel underneath, exiting through triangular features in its rear corners. Another “floating” element, the C-pillar, channels airflow across the body side and underneath the pillar, exiting at the side of the rear screen. The wheels also have aero blade inserts to close up open areas and allow better airflow across surfaces.

“Everything is about being efficient,” said Uhlarik. “We haven’t sacrificed any of the function in terms of rear roominess, ingress/egress, or boot space with this design. In fact, we’ve actually offered class-leading dimensions and features.”

 

Interior details

Even though the vehicle is a subcompact, but large inside for the segment, the design team didn’t want it to come across as even bigger.

“So, the entire cabin is augmented by the panorama sunroof, which creates a real feeling of light,” he said.

Interior detailing, such as the fluting of the switches, the vents, and the sharpness of the design, is meant to be consistent with the exterior. A horizontal light guide inside mirrors the exterior’s front and rear lighting.

The design team also wanted a technology-focused interior.

That’s emphasized by the two screens on the top of the instrument panel, which communicate the infotainment and information that the driver needs. They are augmented by the heater controls, now via a touchscreen interface.

The digital platform for the next-generation steering wheel enables an illuminated logo in the center augmented by two switches on either end where the driver can communicate and interface with the vehicle.

“There’s another aspect, which is the color, materials, and the finish that was chosen for this vehicle,” he added. “You can see it communicates a real sporty feel. The ombre-effect fabric, which we have on the instrument panel and on the seats, overall creates a real lifestyle product, again emphasizing the sporty character of the users and the customers.”