Tata Motors Ltd - Tata EV

Recommendation: Upheld | Medium: Consumer Organization

The ASCI had approached the advertiser for its response in addressing the grievances of the complainant and forwarded the details of the complaint, verbatim, to the advertiser with a request to respond to the same. The advertiser was offered an option to seek an Informal Resolution (IR) of the complaint by modifying or withdrawing the claims in the advertisement. The advertiser was also offered an opportunity for a telecon with the ASCI Secretariat, which they did not avail and neither did they submit their written response. The Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) viewed the print advertisement and considered the complaint. The CCC noted that no response was received from the advertiser prior to the prescribed due date as specified by the ASCI Secretariat. Claim - “India’s No.1 EV Brand” - the advertiser did not provide information on the basis for this claim made, the time period considered, and the source of data. There was no verifiable comparative data comparing their EV brand with other EV brands in India to prove that their EV brand is in leadership position (No.1). Claim - “Best-Ever Prices, Best Tech Features, and Best Benefits” - the CCC observed that these are comparative claims suggesting that Tata EV offers best pricing, tech features, and benefits compared to other electric vehicles in the market. The advertiser did not provide details on which EV brands were considered for comparison, the criteria used, and verifiable comparative data in support of these claims. In the absence of response from the advertiser, the CCC concluded that the claims, “India’s No.1 EV Brand”, and “Best-Ever Prices, Best Tech Features, and Best Benefits”, were not substantiated. The claims are misleading by exaggeration. The source and date for the claims is not mentioned in the advertisement. The said claims contravened Chapter I, Clauses 1.1, 1.2 and 1.4 of the ASCI Code. This complaint was UPHELD.