Tata Motors Begin Operations at Panapakkam Plant; Range Rover Evoque Rolls Out First

Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd. (TMPV) and its subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) have officially commenced operations at their new manufacturing facility in Panapakkam, Tamil Nadu. Marking the first phase of a greenfield project, the plant will produce next-generation vehicles, including EVs, for both Tata Motors and JLR. The first model to roll out is the locally assembled Range Rover Evoque, a key luxury SUV for the Indian market.

The facility was inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin alongside Tata Sons and Tata Motors Chairman N. Chandrasekaran, with senior government officials and Tata Group leadership in attendance.

Designed as a modern, future-ready manufacturing hub, the Panapakkam plant blends advanced production technologies with a highly trained local workforce. Shopfloor technicians from across Tamil Nadu are part of Tata Motors’ Lakshya programme, an “earn while you learn” initiative that enables polytechnic graduates to gain hands-on experience while pursuing a company-sponsored B.Tech degree.

Production will scale up in phases, with the plant expected to reach its full annual capacity of 250,000 vehicles over the next five to seven years, catering to both domestic and export markets. TMPV plans to invest around ₹9,000 crore in the facility, which is projected to generate over 5,000 direct and indirect jobs while supporting a strong local supplier ecosystem.

Sustainability is a core focus at Panapakkam. The plant is designed to run entirely on renewable energy, be water positive, and meet stringent global environmental standards, setting a new benchmark for green automotive manufacturing in India.