Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd. (TPEM), a subsidiary of Tata Motors, India’s premier automobile company, has officially commenced production of passenger vehicles at its newly inaugurated facility in Sanand, Gujarat. This significant achievement was marked by the rollout of the first Tata-branded car from the state-of-the-art plant. The event was attended by Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director of TPEM, along with the leadership team from the Passenger and Electric Vehicles divisions.
Shailesh Chandra Managing Director, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Limited & Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Limited expressed his pride on this momentous occasion, stating, “Witnessing the first car roll out of the new TPEM facility in Sanand is a proud moment for us. We have successfully retooled the factory in the shortest span of 12 months, taking it to a new level to accommodate a wide range of existing products and future new models to come. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Government of Gujarat for its wholesome support and our employees without whom this accomplishment would not have been possible. I am confident that this facility will play a pivotal role in steering Tata Motors, especially TPEM, towards achieving newer feats.”
He added, “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.”
The new Tata Passenger Electric Mobility facility in Sanand, situated in the industrial hub, GIDC Sanand, was acquired from Ford India on January 10, 2023. Covering an expansive 460 acres, it stands as Tata Motors’ second plant in Gujarat, catering to the production of both Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) and Electric Vehicle (EV) models. The facility comprises four main shops—Stamping, Body Construction, Paint, and Final Assembly Shop—all equipped with advanced automation and cutting-edge technology to ensure precision manufacturing.
Key retooling and technological upgrades include:
- Press Shop: Introduction of new dies for stamping critical skin panels
- Weld Shop: Modification of all lines with additional robots, new grippers, and fixtures
- Paint Shop: Modification of handling systems, external robot programming, internal robotic painting, and waxing setup
- Assembly Shop: Modification of handling systems and end-of-line system
The plant currently employs over 1000 staff and technicians, with plans to create an additional 1000 jobs in the next 3 to 4 months in alignment with production ramp-up goals. Tata Motors has invested in upskilling its workforce by providing relevant education, including Diplomas, Bachelor of Engineering, and Master’s Degrees. In adherence to Tata Motors’ commitment to sustainability, the plant features a 50 KW solar rooftop installation and is expected to be water-positive by December 2024.
