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Tata Motors ambitious plan to establish Tamil Nadu as an export hub for electric vehicles (EVs) from Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is set to take a significant step forward. The company is expected to lay the foundation stone for a Rs 9,000 crore project by September. This initiative marks the first time a premium vehicle will be fully manufactured in India rather than just assembled.
The new unit is projected to be operational within 12-18 months following the groundbreaking, which means it could be completed by late 2025 or early 2026. The company and the state government have identified over 400 acres near Panapakkam in Ranipet district for the facility. This location, about 90 km from Chennai, is strategically positioned near Chennai and Ennore ports, and will serve as a vital link in the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin is expected to officiate at the foundation stone ceremony. According to a Tata Motors official, the company is still deciding on the specific products to be manufactured at the new unit. It is anticipated that "Made in India" models based on JLR’s Electrified Modular Architecture (EMA), as well as Tata EVs using the same architecture, will be produced for export.
Recently, French automaker Citroen also began exporting EVs made in India to international markets. For internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, JLR’s Pune facility manufactures completely-knocked-down (CKD) units of several models, including the Range Rover Velar, Evoque, Jaguar F-PACE, and Discovery Sport. The facility has recently added Range Rover and Range Rover Sport to its production line.
Industry experts suggest that Tata Motors will likely leverage the existing ecosystem of suppliers supporting Hyundai Motor India and Renault Nissan Automotive India, while also introducing their own suppliers. "The existing ecosystem can easily diversify to meet the standards required by Tata Motors-JLR," said an industry source. The state government is also committed to providing the necessary ecosystem and policies to support original equipment manufacturers and vendors.
The Tata Motors project is a crucial link in the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor, one of five major upcoming industrial corridors in India. Key infrastructure projects along this corridor include the Bengaluru-Chennai expressway and the Bengaluru-Chennai Dedicated Freight Corridor. The expressway, with an investment of around Rs. 18,000 crore, is expected to be completed by December, significantly reducing travel time between Bangalore and Chennai.
"The industrial belts in this region are well diversified, encompassing the automobile sector in Sriperumbudur, India’s EV hub in Hosur, the leather industry in Vellore, and the upcoming footwear hub in Panapakkam," added the industry source. |
