Tata Harrier.EV Goes Off-Roading With Pajero Sport, Thar And Jimny [Video]
When Tata Motors launched the Harrier EV in India, a visible effort was made to highlight its off-road capabilities. The carmaker released a promotional video in which Dr. Mohammed Fahed, a professional off-road driver, took the electric SUV to the top of Elephant Rock in Kerala. The driver rose to fame after the clip gained traction online. He has been living with the Harrier.EV for the past few months and has been taking the vehicle to various off-road trails in Kerala. A recent video shared on the channel 'Tony and Crew' shows the Harrier.EV being taken to an off-road trail by the star driver. Making things more interesting for viewers, the electric vehicle goes off-roading with rugged SUVs like the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, Mahindra Thar, Maruti Jimny, and Toyota Fortuner.
As it opens, the host gives a quick brief of this off-roading spot. The action happens on an off-road patch near the Vagamon-Pullikkanam road. This route is very scenic and a top-pick among off-road junkies. Located near the ‘S Valavu’, this off-road trail isn’t too extreme, but is quite rewarding in terms of the view and experience it delivers. Initially, we see the Jimny, Thar, and Pajero Sport do the climb. They move carefully (and effortlessly ) through the ruts and rocks, and climb up.
The terrain here is mostly rocky. Patches of grass and gravel can also be seen. These essentially mean compromises in traction levels. The vehicle can get stuck mid-way if it isn’t rugged enough. All the SUVs featured in this video are off-road ready. The Thar, Jimny, and the Pajero Sport seem to be on rugged off-road tyres. These play great roles in ensuring traction on tricky terrains such as the one here.
Soon, these SUVs arrive at the beginning of the actual climb. Though we lack clarity on the actual gradient angle here, it seems to be quite steep and challenging. The Pajero Sport’s climb can be seen in detail in the video. Its mighty 2.5L diesel engine, with 178hp and 400 Nm on offer, ensures that the climb remains smooth. We can see the SUV slightly losing traction mid-way, but the driver manages to clear the obstacle in a couple of tries. It soon makes it to the top of the hill.
The Jimny and Thar also made it to the top, while the Fortuner did not attempt this trail. The view from the top is indeed spectacular, and the effort (and tyres) spent in the climb paid off well!
We get our first view of the Harrier.EV on the hilltop. Fahed had already taken it to the top before the other drivers even started the climb. The vehicle featured here has Red ‘TC’ (trade certificate) plates as it was a fleet car issued by Tata Motors.
It is in stock form, running on stock tyres. As shown later in the video, these offer decent grip even on tricky terrains such as ruts, sand, and grass. To further optimize the same, Tata Motors has also given it selectable terrain modes as well. Powering it is a dual-motor setup with a combined output of 390 hp and 504 Nm, mated to a 75 kWh battery pack.
The video then shows the Harrier.EV descending the trail. The driver manoeuvres it carefully down the slope, closely monitoring the traction levels. He may also be using the 540-degree surround view camera for this. It makes it to the base safely.
We can also see the other SUVs climbing down. Watch carefully and you will understand why vehicles like the Pajero Sport are still considered benchmarks for go-anywhere SUVs. The Fortuner, that chose to not attempt this trail, can be seen in action in another video shared on the same channel.
In the second video, we can see the ICE (Internal combustion Engine) SUVs attempting another trail. The terrain here is even more challenging and traction and gradients trickier. At many points, the Jimny can be seen struggling with its 1.5L naturally aspirated engine. The Fortuner and Pajero stay smooth on most parts, thanks to their torquey diesel engines. The Toyota here even has an off-road metal bumper, for added fun on trails.
The team soon reaches the top of the hill and is greeted with jaw-dropping views. Fahed, in this video, makes the climb on a Royal Enfield Himalayan 450.
In the second half of this video, the Pajero Sport can be seen performing some insane bouldering. The driver makes good use of its off-road-ready approach angle and makes it ‘jump to’ the top of a rock. The team makes their descent after nightfall.
This video shows just how off-road expeditions should be done- in groups, helping and supporting each other and working together towards the larger goal of clearing the obstacle and getting to the top.