Tata Safari EV Spied: Flagship Three-Row eSUV Sets Up XEV 9S Fight
The Tata Safari EV has been caught testing on Indian roads for the first time, ahead of a festive-season launch. Expected to be priced between Rs 22.5 lakh and Rs 30 lakh, it will sit at the top of Tata's electric SUV range and take on Mahindra's three-row XEV 9S.
What was announced
Spy shots published by @car_pantrr show the Safari EV testing in heavy camouflage. The silhouette is identical to the combustion Safari, but two details confirm the powertrain: there is no tailpipe, and the rear suspension is an independent multi-link setup matching the Harrier EV rather than the torsion-beam used on the ICE Safari.
A Harrier EV with a third row at under Rs 30 lakh is exactly the flagship Tata needs to land before Mahindra's XEV 9S settles in.
A side step is also visible on the test mule, a feature not offered on the ICE Safari and a useful addition given the SUV's ride height. Other exterior and interior design changes are hidden under camouflage, but are expected to mirror the Harrier EV's EV-specific styling cues, closed grille, and revised lighting.
Mechanically, the Safari EV is built on Tata's Acti.ev+ platform as an ICE-to-EV conversion, the same approach used on the Harrier EV. It is expected to carry over the Harrier EV's battery packs and dual-motor all-wheel-drive option. The Safari EV will be Tata's flagship electric SUV, sitting above the Curvv EV and Harrier EV in the line-up.
Pricing is expected in the Rs 22.5 lakh to Rs 30 lakh ex-showroom range, with launch planned for the festive season this year. Its direct rival will be the Mahindra XEV 9S, the only other mainstream three-row electric SUV announced for the Indian market.
The Car Jury verdict
This is the Harrier EV stretched by one row, and that is exactly the right move. The Harrier EV is already a TCJ BUY, the Acti.ev+ platform is sorted, and pricing in the Rs 22.5-30 lakh band undercuts the Mahindra XEV 9S meaningfully if Tata holds the line. The side step is a genuine usability win for a tall, heavy three-row EV that families will actually use.
As Biturbo Media notes, "one strong point we always see with Tata is that they build their cars like tanks", and that pays off in a flagship eSUV where rear-seat passengers expect a planted ride. The risk is the third row: Safari ICE owners already complain about it, and a battery floor rarely helps packaging. Wait for the launch price and third-row access before booking, but the Safari EV is shaping up to be Tata's most important 2026 launch.