Tata Punch.ev Scores 5 Stars in Bharat NCAP: The Cheapest Safe EV You Can Buy
Tata Motors' Punch.ev has earned a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating, scoring 31.09 out of 32 for adult occupant protection and 45 out of 49 for child occupant protection. The result lands months after the electric SUV's February 2026 relaunch at Rs 9.69 lakh ex-showroom Mumbai, aimed squarely at mainstream EV buyers.
What was announced
Bharat NCAP awarded the Tata Punch.ev a 5-star rating on July 29, 2026. The electric SUV scored 31.09 out of 32 points for adult occupant protection and 45 out of 49 points for child occupant protection, one of the strongest combined results recorded under the Indian crash-test programme to date.
At Rs 9.69 lakh, the Punch.ev is now the cheapest 5-star Bharat NCAP electric car on sale in India, and no rival comes close.
The Punch.ev was relaunched in February 2026 at an introductory ex-showroom Mumbai price of Rs 9.69 lakh. It is offered with two battery options: a 30 kWh pack and a larger 40 kWh LFP unit. The 40 kWh version delivers an ARAI-certified range of 468 km and a Tata-claimed real-world range of around 355 km. DC fast charging takes the battery from 20 to 80 per cent in 26 minutes.
Tata.ev also bundles a lifetime high-voltage battery warranty with the 40 kWh variant, a commitment no other mainstream Indian EV maker currently matches at this price. The company is positioning the Punch.ev as its volume entry point into electric mobility, sitting below the Nexon.ev, Curvv.ev and Harrier.ev in the lineup. The 5-star Bharat NCAP score gives Tata a marketing anchor that directly addresses the safety hesitation many first-time EV buyers still bring to the showroom, particularly in the sub-Rs 12 lakh bracket where crash-test data has historically been thin.
The Car Jury verdict
This is the number Tata needed. At Rs 9.69 lakh, the Punch.ev is the cheapest EV in India that now carries a 5-star Bharat NCAP badge, and the child-occupant score of 45/49 matters more than the adult number in a segment where young families are the target buyer. Nothing from MG, Citroen or the Hyundai Exter EV-adjacent set comes close on this combination of price and crash performance.
Biturbo Media has already flagged that the Punch platform's suspension and body are its strongest attributes, and this rating vindicates that view. If you want a Tata EV with more range or space, our Curvv EV and Harrier EV reviews both carry BUY calls. But for a first EV under Rs 12 lakh, the Punch.ev is now the default answer.
