The new Harrier.ev introduces ‘DrivePay,’ an in-car wallet that pays for its own charging—and it’s a genuine game-changer.
If you own an electric vehicle in India, you know the dance. You pull up to a charging station, check if it’s from ChargeZone, Magenta, or Statiq, and then fumble for the right app on your phone. You might have three, four, or even five different apps just to manage your charging needs.
It’s a friction-filled experience that stands in the way of a truly seamless electric future.
Well, Tata Motors just took a giant leap toward fixing it.
In a recent video showcasing the stunning new Harrier.ev, Tata quietly unveiled a piece of technology that could fundamentally change the EV ownership experience in India. It’s called DrivePay, and it’s the answer to the app-juggling nightmare so many of us face.
What Exactly is DrivePay?
DrivePay is an all-in-one, UPI-powered payment solution built directly into the Harrier.ev’s infotainment system. Think of it as a secure digital wallet that lives inside your car.
According to the video, its capabilities go beyond just charging:
- Pay for EV Charging: Natively find and pay for charging sessions across different providers.
- Manage FASTag: Track your FASTag balance and even activate auto-recharge.
- Unified UPI Interface: All payments are powered by UPI, leveraging India’s robust digital payment backbone.
How It Works: The Seamless Charging Journey
We’ve broken down the process shown in the video to illustrate just how simple it is. This is where the magic happens.
Step 1: Find a Charger, No Phone Needed
Right from the car’s main screen, the driver taps the “DrivePay” app and selects “Find Chargers.” The system, powered by MapmyIndia, displays a map of all nearby charging stations, regardless of the operator.
Step 2: Navigate and Select Your Charging Gun
After navigating to the station, the driver doesn’t need to scan a QR code. The screen shows the available DC chargers at that location (e.g., Gun 1 – MH0244, Gun 2 – MH0245). You simply tap the one you’re going to use.
Step 3: Authorize the Payment In-Car
This is the most crucial step. The car asks you how much you want to charge. You can choose:
- Full Charge
- Enter Amount (in Rupees)
- Enter Units (in kWh)
You authorize the payment right there. The video also shows a parallel process on the iRA.ev mobile app, where a user can pre-authorize a payment limit that is only deducted with a secure UPI PIN approval.
Step 4: Plug In and Walk Away
Once the payment is authorized, you just plug the charging gun into the car. The handshake is instant, and the charging starts automatically. The car’s screen shows the real-time charging status, including the current range and battery percentage.
Why This is a Genuine Game-Changer
This isn’t just another feature; it’s a fundamental shift in user experience.
1. It Ends App Juggling and Interoperability Nightmares
The single biggest pain point for Indian EV users is the lack of interoperability between charging networks. DrivePay, by integrating multiple charge point operators (CPOs) under a single payment interface, solves this beautifully. It’s the universal remote everyone has been waiting for.
2. It Creates a Truly Seamless Experience
The ultimate goal of smart technology is for it to disappear. The process of finding, authorizing, and paying is reduced to a few taps on a single screen that’s already in front of you. It removes the friction of finding your phone, unlocking it, opening the right app, and hoping it connects properly.
3. It’s a Glimpse into the Future of Connected Cars
This technology opens the door for so much more. Imagine your car paying for its own parking, ordering at a drive-thru, or paying highway tolls, all from the same integrated wallet. This is the first major step towards a true “smart wallet on wheels” ecosystem.
4. It’s Built on India’s Strength: UPI
This innovation is uniquely Indian. By building the system on top of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Tata is leveraging an incredibly secure and widespread national infrastructure, ensuring reliability and accessibility for millions.
The Road Ahead
While unveiled in the Harrier.ev, the video makes it clear that the entire experience is also available through the iRA.ev mobile app. This suggests that this groundbreaking technology could soon be available to other Tata EV owners, unifying the entire Tata electric ecosystem.
The Tata Harrier.ev is more than just an impressive new electric SUV. It’s a platform for the future. By tackling the most frustrating part of EV ownership head-on, Tata isn’t just selling a car; they are selling an effortless electric experience. And that is what truly matters for the joy of the drive.
