New Delhi, Sept. 30 -- Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd has become the latest carmaker to offer battery-as-a-service (BaaS), a model that lowers the upfront cost of electric vehicles. The trend picked up after Maruti Suzuki India Ltd introduced BaaS in February, with Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd and Hyundai Motor India Ltd subsequently entering the space. Mint examines whether it offers real advantages for consumers.

The purpose of BaaS was not to drive sales but to attract customers to showrooms, according to auto industry executives. However, the model has yet to find many takers. Most consumers continue to buy vehicles with the battery, giving them full ownership of the car. This is also one reason not all automakers have introduced the ...