Material Insights · Understanding the Material World

Vehicles, ships, rail, aircraft: Follow one offering through the chain

Cars, two-wheelers, trucks, ships, rail and aircraft makers and suppliers

Follow one offering through the chain

3 Example story · 7 steps · India

A Tata Nexon EV, from cell to charger

Follow an Indian electric SUV from its battery cells and magnets to a crash test and a fast charger.

1 / 7 · Materials and battery supply

A 45 kWh lithium-ion battery

20 GWhAgratas Sanand plant, first phase

At the heart of the Nexon EV 45 is a 45 kWh lithium-ion battery, certified for 489 km on the official test cycle; Tata puts real-world range at 350-370 km. Its cells come from a world market in which China makes more than three-quarters of all batteries. Tata's battery company Agratas is building a 20 GWh first phase at Sanand to make cells in India.12,2,3

Constraint China dominates cells and battery materials, so until Indian gigafactories run at scale, cell supply sets much of the car's cost and risk. Li LithiumGr GraphiteCAM Battery cathode materialsAAM Battery anode materialsLiPF6 Battery electrolytesElectrical equipment
2 / 7 · Components and electronics

Packs, harnesses and parts from suppliers

4.6%EV parts share of OEM supplies

Component makers assemble battery packs and supply motor controllers, wiring harnesses, brakes, seats and lights; Tata AutoComp, a group company, runs an EV components business with China's Gotion as its battery partner. India's component industry turned over ₹7.6 lakh crore in 2025-26, up 12.7%, but EV parts were only 4.6% of supplies to carmakers, excluding lithium-ion batteries.4,5

Constraint Component imports of US$ 25.4 billion in 2025-26 exceeded exports of US$ 24 billion, with China among the largest sources. Cu CopperAl AluminiumPP PolypropylenePA Nylon (PA6, PA66)ABS ABSPlastic and rubber productsElectrical equipment
3 / 7 · Components and electronics

Chips from a few qualified makers

5%Nexperia's share of auto discrete chips

Microcontrollers run the battery management system, motor inverter, airbags and touchscreen, while power semiconductors switch the motor's current. Most are mature-node chips from a few firms such as Infineon, NXP and Renesas, qualified over years. In October 2025 China blocked exports from Nexperia's Chinese plants, a firm with about 5% of auto discrete chips, and Honda had to halt a Canadian plant.6

Constraint Automotive chips take years to qualify, so a single supplier dispute or fab outage can stop assembly lines worldwide within weeks. Si SiliconGa GalliumpSi PolysiliconESG Electronic specialty gasesSemiconductors
4 / 7 · Components and electronics

A motor spun by rare-earth magnets

94%China's share of sintered magnets, 2024

The front wheels are driven by about 148 bhp from Tata's Ziptron drivetrain, which Tata describes as using a permanent-magnet AC motor; such motors' rotors hold sintered neodymium-iron-boron magnets. China made 94% of the world's sintered rare-earth magnets in 2024, and its April 2025 export licences sharply cut shipments in April and May, forcing some carmakers to slow or stop lines.1,13,7

Constraint Magnets need neodymium and often dysprosium or terbium, and with Chinese export licences required since April 2025, any shipment can be delayed. REE Rare earthsCu CopperB BoronSt SteelElectrical equipment
5 / 7 · Vehicle assembly

Built and branded by Tata Motors

92,120Tata EV sales incl. exports, FY26

Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles designs the car, buys the parts and assembles it, and launched the 45 kWh version in September 2024 from about ₹14 lakh. In 2025-26 it sold 92,120 electric cars including exports, up 43%, and says it strengthened its lead in India's electric-car market. Electric cars were 4.25% of passenger-vehicle retail sales, FADA data show.8,11,1

Constraint Rivals are adding electric models fast and price cuts depend on cheaper cells, so margins rest on battery costs Tata does not fully control. St SteelAl AluminiumPnt Paints and coatingsAdh Adhesives and sealantsMetal productsSemiconductorsMachinery and equipment
6 / 7 · Certification and safety

Crash-tested under Bharat NCAP

29.86/32adult occupant score, Bharat NCAP

Before sale, a testing agency such as ARAI or ICAT must certify the car against Indian safety and emission rules and verify its range. Tata also entered the Nexon EV in the Bharat NCAP crash programme: in June 2024 it earned five stars, scoring 29.86 of 32 points for adult occupants, and five stars for child protection.9,1

Constraint Each new battery size or variant needs fresh type approval and range certification before it can be sold, adding months to launches. Public administration, defence and security
7 / 7 · Sales, finance and aftermarket

Charged at home or on highways

29,000+public charging stations, February 2026

Owners can charge overnight at home, but long trips need public fast chargers from firms such as Tata Power EZ Charge. India had over 29,000 public charging stations by February 2026, and the PM E-DRIVE scheme has set aside ₹2,000 crore for more. Tata claims 15 minutes on a fast charger adds about 130 km of range to the Nexon EV 45.10,1

Constraint Chargers need grid connections and sites, and remain thin along highways and in smaller towns, so range worries still hold back buyers. Cu CopperDist Distribution grids, mini-grids and interconnectorsPE Transformers and power electronicsComputers and electronicsElectrical equipment

What the chain shows

India can design, assemble and sell electric cars at scale; cells, chips and magnets, still controlled abroad, are where both the value and the risk now lie.

Sources
  1. Tata Motors launches the Nexon EV 45 at Rs 14 lakh evo India, 2024
  2. The battery industry has entered a new phase International Energy Agency, 2025
  3. Tata's battery arm advances construction of 20 GWh manufacturing facility ESS News, 2025
  4. ACMA: Indian auto component industry grows 12.7% to INR 7.6 lakh crore in FY26 Autocar Professional, 2026
  5. Battery pack: about (EV component business and strategic partners) Tata AutoComp Systems, 2026
  6. China-Netherlands tussle over Nexperia threatens global auto supply chain Caixin Global, 2025
  7. Rare Earth Elements: executive summary International Energy Agency, 2026
  8. Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd. Q4 FY26 sales Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, 2026
  9. Tata Nexon EV scores 5-star rating in Bharat NCAP's crash tests Autocar Professional, 2024
  10. Over 29,000 public EV charging stations installed in India: MoS Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma All India Radio News (Prasar Bharati), 2026
  11. FADA releases FY 2026 and March 2026 vehicle retail data Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations, 2026
  12. Tata Motors boosts the Nexon's appeal: launches Nexon iCNG and Nexon.ev 45 kWh (company release) Tata Motors via Automotive World, 2024
  13. Tata electric cars to get Ziptron technology Rushlane, 2019