By Electric cars sound exciting and also economical to use, but for most people one question always comes first:
“Battery kharab ho gayi toh?” Because the battery is the most expensive part of an EV and replacement cost can go upto 50% of the cost of vehicle.
To reduce this fear, Tata Motors has introduced something big with the new Tata Punch EV 40 kWh — a Lifetime Battery Warranty.
But what does “lifetime” actually mean?
Is it really forever?
And will you actually get a replacement?
Let’s understand this in very simple language.
First — What Does “Lifetime” Mean?
The word lifetime here does NOT mean unlimited years forever. As pet Tata it means 15 years from the first registration date of the car.
So if your Punch EV is registered in 2026, the battery warranty lasts till 2041.
That’s actually huge as most EVs in India currently give only 8 years warranty.
Is It Unlimited Kilometers?
Technically yes… but with a condition.
The warranty assumes you use the car normally for personal use — daily commute, family trips, office travel.
It does NOT apply if:
- Used as taxi
- Commercial fleet
- Test drive/demo vehicle
- Heavy commercial usage
Private owner = Lifetime warranty
Commercial usage = No lifetime warranty
What If You Sell the Car?
Good news is that the warranty can continue for the next owner But in case of resale the new owner must inform Tata Motors about ownership transfer.
If not informed, the lifetime warranty will not apply to the second owner. So always transfer warranty officially while selling.
When Will Tata Replace or Repair the Battery?
Lithium EV batteries naturally lose capacity over time and this is quite normal as we see with Mobile Phones Battery whose capacity gradually declines after usage. So Tata has set up a clear rule:
If battery health drops below 70% → Warranty activates
Then Tata will:
- Repair OR
- Replace battery cells
And restore it to at least 80% health which is considered as optimum (or previous level, whichever is higher)
Even a perfectly healthy EV battery slowly degrades overtime and usage and therfore warranty does NOT apply for normal aging. It only applies when degradation becomes excessive, read it as below 70%.
Final Thoughts
Battery replacement in EV is the biggest ownership fear and Typical battery replacement cost can be ₹3–6 lakh in small EVs. So this warranty basically assures that For 15 years, battery failure risk is Tata’s responsibility, not yours.
However, this warranty doesn’t promise your battery will stay brand new forever but what it gives is that even after years of usage, your car will remain usable and practical without huge repair bills.