At the Bharat Mobility Expo 2025, Tata Motors showcased a closer-to-production form of the Avinya SUV- the first model to come from the new sub-brand. The show car managed to gather eyeballs. People were impressed with its design and it soon filled the Instagram grids and social media feeds of many. Now, Tata Motors has released a video that shows its Head of Global design Martin Uhlarik explaining the design journey.
Tata Avinya’s Design Journey
Uhlarik says that the ideation began in 2023. They started with a week’s worth of sketches, his team came up with something that ‘looked more or less like a normal car, with a little bit of electric‘. The management did not like it and asked him to redo to something that’s really bold and futuristic. Uhlarik says that within the next three weeks, they were ready with a better pitch presentation for the management. The new design was soon approved and greenlit.
The design boss says that Avinya X’s design took inspiration from a Riva Powerboat. Riva is an Italian yacht and motorboat manufacturer known for building luxury vessels. Like the powerboat, the SUV would also be a beautiful blend of power and grace. He says that this is a strange combination of traits for an SUV. “Grace is not something that you’d think about when you talk about SUVs. But I thought that was interesting” Says Martin.
He further says that Tata Motors back then, thought about how the new product could potentially influence the health and wellbeing of its users- both physical and mental. The designers perceived the Avinya as a ‘sanctuary on wheels’ which would communicate calmness, well-being, stress reduction and reassurance the moment a person gets inside.
Another key highlight is the Avinya’s unique colourway. The video shows a prototype that wears something like an oceanic Blue shade. Tata calls this colour ‘Samudra’ as it takes inspiration from the ocean. None of the press releases from the manufacturer have, however, mentioned it. Uhlarik says that they are currently working on taking it to the production form. Tata aspires to incorporate maximum sustainability into the Avinya family of vehicles.
Another unconventional thing about the prototype is that it comes without a rear door handle. The designers refrained from providing it with these as they found the styling busy, and the same triggered their OCDs. The rear doors can be opened by using your smartphone or by pressing a button on the B-pillar. The chauffeur can also open it for the boss.
Tata’s global design boss also makes a bold claim that he wanted his team to think like ‘social engineers’ and not conventional car designers. The Avinya project has a dedicated design studio and team working on it. This shows how important the product range is for the manufacturer. The scale, size and sophistication of the project are reportedly surreal. Uhlarik and his team consider the Avinya as their dream project.
Tata Avinya: Quick Details
The Avinya will not be a single model. It will be a family of electric SUVs with a high focus on sustainability, luxury and performance. The first model from the Avinya range is expected to be out by 2026. Five models are known to be on cards, known internally as P1, P2, P3, P4, and P5. There is still no official information on the battery pack, motor, or driving range. Rumours, however, suggest that Tata’s most expensive EVs could offer a range of around 500 km per charge.