Tata Avinya to use Chery-JLR’s Freelander Platform

Tata Motors has changed its technology plan for its premium electric car brand called Avinya. The upcoming Tata Avinya EVs will now be built on the Chery-JLR Freelander platform. This platform comes from the joint venture between Chery and Jaguar Land Rover in China. It replaces the previously planned JLR Electrified Modular Architecture, or EMA. This change pushes the launch of the first production model, a premium SUV called the Avinya X, to 2027.

The Freelander platform runs on a high-voltage 800-volt electrical architecture. This is very advanced technology. It supports DC fast charging speeds up to 350 kW. This can radically cut charging time down to minutes instead of hours. While Avinya was introduced as a pure electric car concept, the new platform can technically also support plug-in hybrids and extended-range electric vehicles. This gives Tata flexibility for the future.

Initial models under the Avinya portfolio are projected to use battery packs in the 65 kWh to 80 kWh range. This size balances competitive extended range, pack weight, and production affordability. While the Tata Group’s own battery company called Agratas remains the long-term supplier, initial manufacturing runs will use existing ecosystem partners until Agratas scales up domestic production.

The Avinya range will be manufactured at Tata’s state-of-the-art Panapakkam facility in Tamil Nadu. This plant is shared with Jaguar Land Rover. Initial cars will be shipped from China via the Completely Knocked Down, or CKD, route and assembled locally. Active supply chain programs are running to heavily localise parts over time. This will optimise costs and bypass critical import delays.

Rather than selling Avinya cars in regular Tata EV showrooms, the company will create a completely separate premium retail network. Tata Motors is also evaluating an online configurator tool. This will provide luxury buyers a premium, direct-to-customer boutique purchasing experience.

The original plan was to use JLR’s EMA platform. But that platform was very expensive to develop. The cost was hard to justify for the expected production volumes of Avinya. The new Chery-JLR platform is ready and proven. It lowers upfront research and development spending. The EMA platform was also highly delayed. JLR’s internal pipeline faced integration lag. The new platform is readily deployable and significantly shortens initial development cycles. The EMA platform demanded heavy internal resources for basic engineering validation. The new platform allows Tata to focus its money on custom software, vehicle connectivity, and regional localisation.

If you are thinking of waiting for the Tata Avinya EV, you should do so if you want a premium electric car from Tata with ultra-fast 800-volt charging. You want a luxury electric SUV with a range of over 500 kilometres. You want a car that will be sold through a premium boutique network. You can wait until 2027 for the launch. You should buy the current Tata electric cars like the Nexon EV, Punch EV, or Curvv EV if you need a car right now.