Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd. (TPEM), a subsidiary of Tata Motors, has officially begun production of passenger vehicles at its new factory in Sanand, Gujarat. The inauguration of the facility and the rollout of the first Tata-branded car were celebrated in the presence of TPEM Managing Director, Shailesh Chandra, and the leadership team from the Passenger and Electric Vehicles businesses.
Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Limited & Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Limited, expressed his pride in witnessing the first car roll out from the new facility. He acknowledged the successful retooling of the factory within a span of 12 months to accommodate a wide range of existing products and future models. Chandra extended his gratitude to the Government of Gujarat and the employees, emphasizing the pivotal role he believes the facility will play in steering Tata Motors, especially TPEM, towards newer feats.
Chandra further stated, “Tata Motors Passenger & Electric Vehicles business has delivered market-beating growth over the last few years. We have strong plans to sustain this momentum, with our robust pipeline of future-ready ‘New Forever’ products and proactive investments in electric vehicles. With existing capacities near saturation, this new facility will unlock an additional state-of-the-art manufacturing capacity of 300,000 units per annum, which is scalable to 420,000 units per annum.”
Situated in the industrial hub, GIDC Sanand, with access to a strong network of suppliers, the new facility was acquired from Ford India on January 10, 2023. Covering 460 acres, it is Tata Motors’ second plant in Gujarat, manufacturing both ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) and EV (Electric Vehicle) models. The plant includes four main shops—Stamping, Body construction, Paint, and Final assembly shop—equipped with high levels of automation and the latest technology to ensure precision manufacturing. Several world-class technologies have been implemented, setting new benchmarks within the industry.
Major retooling and tech upgrades have been undertaken in different areas of the plant, including the Press shop, Weld shop, Paint shop, and Assembly shop. The plant currently employs more than 1000 staff and technicians, with plans to create an additional 1000 jobs in the next 3 to 4 months in line with production ramp-up plans. Tata Motors has invested in upskilling its workforce, providing them with Diplomas, Bachelor of Engineering, and Master’s Degrees as applicable. Committed to sustainability, the plant has a 50 KW solar rooftop and is expected to be water positive by December 2024.